Why does Jacob agree to send Benjamin, and how does Joseph receive the brothers?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Food runs out, and Juda says they cannot return to the ruler without Benjamin, taking responsibility for bringing him back. Jacob sends Benjamin with gifts and money and asks God to grant favour. Joseph receives the brothers for a meal, asks after their father, weeps on seeing Benjamin, and gives him the larger portion.

Chapter breakdown

The famine is heavy throughout the land. When they have eaten all the grain brought from Egypt, Jacob tells his sons to return and buy a little food. Juda says the man declared under oath that they cannot see his face unless they bring their youngest brother. If Jacob sends him, they will go together to buy supplies; if not, they will not go. Juda repeats the condition they have often stated. Israel says they have added to his misery by telling the man about another brother. They answer that he asked about their family, whether their father lived and whether they had a brother. They answered his questions in order and could not know he would tell them to bring the brother.

Juda asks his father to send the boy with him so they can go and live, rather than let themselves and their children perish. He takes responsibility: his father may require the boy at his hand, and if he fails to bring him back and restore him, he will be guilty of sin against his father forever. Juda adds that without the delay they would already have been back a second time. That is Juda’s stated argument about the delay.

Israel says that if it must be so, they should do it. They are to take gifts from the best produce of the land in their containers: a little balm, honey, storax, myrrh, turpentine and almonds. Storax and turpentine are resins; the named gift list is retained.

Challoner notes that balm is literally rosin, giving the Latin resinae, but says that balm is meant here.

Jacob tells them to take double money and return what they found in the sacks, since perhaps it was put there by mistake. They are also to take their brother and go to the man. Jacob asks his almighty God to make the man favourable and send back both the brother he is holding and Benjamin. He says that, for himself, he will be left without children. The men take the presents, double money and Benjamin, go to Egypt and stand before Joseph.

Joseph sees Benjamin with them and tells his steward to bring the men into the house, kill animals and prepare a feast, because they will eat with him at noon. The steward carries out the order. The brothers are very afraid. They say they have been brought in because of the money carried home in their sacks, and fear a false accusation followed by violent seizure of themselves and their donkeys as slaves. This is their fear, not Joseph’s stated purpose for inviting them.

At the door they approach the steward and ask him to hear them. They explain that they came once before to buy food. After buying it and reaching the inn, they opened the sacks and found their money at the mouths. They have brought it back in the same weight, with other money to buy what they need, and do not know who put the money in their bags. The steward tells them to be at peace and not fear: their God and their father’s God have given them treasure in the sacks. He says he has the money they paid. He brings Simeon out to them, brings them into the house, provides water so they wash their feet, and feeds their donkeys.

They prepare the presents for Joseph’s arrival at noon, having heard they will eat bread there. When he enters, they offer the gifts in their hands and bow with their faces to the ground. Joseph greets them courteously and asks whether the old father they told him about is well and still alive. They answer that his servant their father is well and alive, and bow again. Joseph sees Benjamin, his brother by the same mother, and asks if he is the young brother they described. He says, “God be gracious to thee, my son.”

Joseph hurries away because his heart is moved by his brother and tears gush out. He goes into his chamber and weeps. After washing his face, he returns, restrains himself and orders bread put on the table. Food is served separately for Joseph, for his brothers and for the Egyptians eating with him. The account says it is unlawful for Egyptians to eat with Hebrews and they regard such a feast as profane. The brothers sit before him in order, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his age, and wonder greatly. They receive portions from Joseph; Benjamin’s is greater, exceeding theirs by five parts. They drink and are merry with him.

The story inside

The brothers enter Joseph’s house with a fear that differs from his recorded instruction. He has ordered a noon meal after seeing Benjamin with them. They believe the returned money may instead provide grounds for an accusation and enslavement, so they speak to the steward at the door. Their account specifies the earlier purchase, the money’s discovery at the inn, its return in the same weight and the additional money for food. They also admit they do not know who put it in the bags. The steward responds with peace, says he has their payment, and credits the treasure to their God and their father’s God. Simeon is brought out, water and animal feed are provided, and the gifts are prepared for noon. This exchange changes what the brothers have been told about the money before the meal begins; the account does not turn the seating or Benjamin’s larger portion into an unstated test of envy.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Juda joins the need for food to a personal responsibility for Benjamin’s return. He repeats the ruler’s condition and says his father may hold him accountable forever if he does not restore the boy. Those stated terms explain the pledge without adding a later theological meaning.
2
Jacob sends practical provisions and also asks God for favour. The gifts are named, the money is doubled, and the earlier money is returned because a mistake remains possible. His prayer asks for both brothers back, while his statement about being left without children preserves his fear of loss.
3
The welcome contains both practical care and family feeling. The steward brings Simeon out, gives water and feeds the donkeys. Joseph asks after their father and weeps on seeing Benjamin, then returns to serve the meal. These acts provide evidence of the reception without inventing the brothers’ inner progress or a motive for the larger portion.

Test your recall

What condition and pledge lead Jacob to send Benjamin, how do the brothers explain the money to the steward, and how does the reception differ from their fear?

Show answer

The brothers cannot buy more food unless Benjamin comes with them, and Juda promises to answer for his safe return. Jacob sends Benjamin with gifts and double money, including the returned payment. The brothers tell the steward that they do not know who put that money in their sacks. They fear enslavement, but the steward reassures them, releases Simeon, and supplies water and animal feed. They are received at a meal, where Benjamin receives a much larger portion.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 4985–5014
Genesis Chapter 43 The sons of Jacob go again into Egypt with Benjamin. They are entertained by Joseph. 43:1. In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land. 43:2. And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again, and buy us a little food. 43:3. Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you. 43:4. If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee. 43:5. But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother. 43:6. Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery, in that you told him you had also another brother. 43:7. But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you?
Lines 5015–5024
43:8. And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish. 43:9. I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever. 43:10. If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.
Lines 5025–5029
43:11. Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.
Lines 5030–5031
Balm.... Literally rosin, resinae; but here by that name is meant balm.
Lines 5032–5043
43:12. And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake. 43:13. And take also your brother, and go to the man. 43:14. And may my almighty God make him favourable to you: and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children. 43:15. So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
Lines 5044–5055
43:16. And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon. 43:17. He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house. 43:18. And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses.
Lines 5056–5075
43:19. Wherefore, going up to the steward of the house, at the door, 43:20. They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us. We came down once before to buy food: 43:21. And when we had bought, and were come to the inn, we opened our sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks: which we have now brought again in the same weight. 43:22. And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags. 43:23. But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good. And he brought Simeon out to them. 43:24. And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.
Lines 5076–5093
43:25. But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there. 43:26. Then Joseph came in to his house, and they offered him the presents, holding them in their hands; and they bowed down with their face to the ground. 43:27. But he courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet living? 43:28. And they answered: Thy servant our father, is in health; he is yet living. And bowing themselves, they made obeisance to him. 43:29. And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin, his brother by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother, of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee, my son.
Lines 5094–5112
43:30. And he made haste, because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber, he wept. 43:31. And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table. 43:32. And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane): 43:33. They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much; 43:34. Taking the messes which they received of him: and the greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.