Saturday: Show me that you are truly sorry.

From Genesis 43-46

1. After having seen "Passion of the Christ" and "The Nativity", I am certain that I have found another story worthy of a best-seller movie. The story of Joseph is so good that it actually brought tears to my eyes just reading it!! The amazing part about that is I have read it many times before. However, this time I was much more focused on exactly how the events unfolded. (I wonder if, since I have suggested this, that I get any rights to a movie like this.)

2. Show me that you are truly sorry. One of the interesting things about Joseph's story comes in watching exactly who is responsible for different things. Back in Genesis 37 it talks about them planning to sell Joseph to a caravan traveling to Egypt, and it is Judah that is mentioned as coming up with this idea. (Reuben, who is oldest, does not want anything bad to happen to Joseph.) The second oldest is Simeon, and the bible says nothing about him being against it. Some in the group, though the bible does not mention who, originally wanted to kill him.

In Genesis 42:24 it shows that Joseph had Simeon put in prison until they should return. Then we see how Reuben (3rd oldest) promises in Genesis 42:37 that he will ensure Benjamin's safety. When the brothers are finally forced to go back, Judah makes the same type of promise in Genesis 43:9. Then Joseph tests his brothers to see if they have changed their attitudes using the silver cup in Benjamin's sack. In Genesis 44:16 they show that they are changed, but then in Genesis 44:32-34, Judah, who was one of the original guys who sold off Joseph, begs to stay as a slave in place of Benjamin. It is then that Joseph knows that they have indeed changed.

3. I wonder how the other brothers explained to their father about Joseph's original situation. They must have had to, because otherwise they probably would have been concerned that Joseph would tell their father. I wonder what went through Jacob's mind when he heard the story, if he indeed did hear it. I'm surprised that they were not disowned. (Though maybe Jacob never was told.)

4. I wonder why shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians. And I wonder, if they had said that they were of other occupations (other than shepherds), would Pharaoh have put them in other positions?