Genesis 41:46-42:14

That’s important to grasp because when we read the Bible, particularly the older translations like the King James version, we unconsciously think that the people in that day such as Joseph, Potiphar, The prophets, the disciples etc., all spoke Elizabethan English.

One of the great blessings that God’s given us in today’s generation is the abundance of different translations. There are those that believe that any translation other than the King James is not God’s Word, but I urge you to look deeper. Every true Christian translation, apart from the cult translations, has great treasures along with translation variances and some errors.

This is just as true of the King James version as well.

We should be aware that no matter what translation we read, and we should be willing to search and compare, the main overlying messages are the same.

God’s redemption through Jesus Christ and the person and Deity of Jesus, the Messiah is revealed in all of them. God has made sure of that.

Here’s what I believe is our great challenge in today’s world with it’s 24 hour distractions. We find it in 2 Timothy chapter 2:14-16 and I’m giving it in the King James version first, then in the new King James version and in the New Living Translation.

The King James Version:

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 

Now, the New King James version:

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

And finally, the New Living Translation:

Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them. 

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behaviour.

I have 36 Translations of the Bible on my laptop and every version says the same thing about the key points of the Word of God in a different way and each of them is wonderfully relevant to you and me today.

Now in this episode today as we said in the introduction we’re moving into the next phase of this incredible plan of God and at this point in time Joseph has the key role to play, even though none of this is being bought about by Joseph himself.

God is working through Joseph, guiding him towards a definite end result that was planned before the world and before time itself began.

There’s no lightning strikes or bellowing voices from heaven or choirs of angels that are doing the guiding. In just the same manner as God guides you and me, there’s a subtle touch here and there, a door that opens over here and a door that closes over there. A person or a situation may cross our path and we just know that we know that God was behind it.

By the way I’d just like to add something at this point about what I said in relation to end time prophecy and social media. Of course, not everything that’s posted on social media relating to prophecy is hogwash. There are many people posting God’s Word accurately along with the rubbish. We just need to discern what’s right and what’s wrong and the best way to do that is to fall in love with God’s Word yourself and study it.

We finished off the last episode with Pharoah changing Joseph’s name to Zaphnath–paaneah, which means the revealer of secret things, and we saw Pharoah give a wife to Joseph, Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, the priest of On.

So, let’s begin today in Genesis 41:46,

And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 

The first thing we’re told here is Joseph’s age, and we see that he’s been in the land of Egypt for thirteen years.

We know that two of those years were spent in prison after the episode with the butler and the baker. He probably had been in the prison a year or so before that, we’re not told exactly. So he may have been in the house of Potiphar close to ten years. This gives us some idea of how his life was divided into time periods while he was in the land of Egypt.

After these thirteen years, Joseph finds himself in a position which would be similar to the prime minister. He was second only to Pharaoh in Egypt. Why was Pharaoh so willing to accept him? Firstly, of course, the answer is that God was with him. All the way along we’ve been that. The hand of God, His provision and protection were leading this man. Joseph says himself that the brothers meant evil, but God meant good.

There may be another reason for Pharaoh accepting Joseph so readily.

Many scholars, Egyptologists and archaeologists say that the Pharaoh at this particular time in history was one of the Hyksos kings.

The Hyksos were not native Egyptians. They were Bedouins from the Arabian Desert, a nomadic group, and for a period they came in and took over the throne of Egypt. If this is true (and many believe that it is), Pharaoh would have actually been closer in nationality to Joseph than to the Egyptians. This would have added to his confidence in Joseph.

These Hyksos kings apparently found it a bit difficult to find someone in Egypt who would be loyal and faithful to them, and Joseph’s faithfulness was certainly obvious. His confidence that God was moving in his life produced a faithfulness to whoever he was attached.

He was faithful to his task because he knew that God was in it. A racial bond with Pharaoh may well be a reason that Joseph found such a ready reception with him at this time, and he certainly proved to be faithful to him, as we’ll see.

By the way, the Hyksos kings were later expelled from Egypt, which could be the reason that in Exodus 1:8 we read: “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” The Pharaoh of those coming times certainly had no feeling, cultural or otherwise with the Hebrews!

Note that Pharaoh placed a chain around Joseph’s neck, which gave him the same authority that Pharaoh had. Also, Pharaoh gave him for a bride the daughter of the priest of On. Her name, Asenath, means “dedicated to Neith.

Neith was the Egyptian goddess Minerva who was believed by the Egyptians to be the first and main creator of the universe and all it contains, and that she governs how it. She was the goddess of the cosmos, fate, wisdom, water, rivers, mothers, childbirth, hunting, weaving, and war. Neith’s name, also spelled Nit or Net meant “she is the terrifying one”.

She was the Egyptian counterpart to the Greek goddess Athena. Like Athena, Minerva burst from the head of her father, Jupiter (or the Greek Zeus), who had devoured her mother in an attempt to prevent her birth.

So, Joseph’s wife Asenath came right out of heathenism and idolatry.

This event in Joseph’s life gives us another parallel to the life of the Lord Jesus. Joseph had a gentile bride, and the Lord Jesus Christ is presently calling out of this world a gentile bride, which is known as the church.

In this same verse there’s still another parallel. Joseph stood before Pharaoh when he was thirty years old, and the Lord Jesus began His ministry when He was thirty years old. So, at thirty, Joseph takes up his work in Egypt. During these seven years of plenty, he’s gathering the abundant produce of the land into storehouses.

Verses 47 and 48,

Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly. 

So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. 

Notice that he “laid up the food in the cities.” He was planning ahead for easy distribution.

Just having an abundance of produce and goods doesn’t do much good if you can’t distribute it.

Joseph’s doing a very practical thing by laying up the food in the cities. He’s gathering up the surplus and putting it in the cities ready for distribution. Here we see just some of Joseph’s practical wisdom on display.

Verse 49,

Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable. 

Egypt was to become the superabundant breadbasket of the world under Joseph’s management.

Now we pause for a little family note in Genesis 41:50-52,

And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” 

And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” 

From his Egyptian wife Asenath, Joseph fathered Manasseh, whose name means forgetfulness. This was because God made Joseph to forget all the previous pain and trial in his life. He was so much involved that he forgot about his father’s house. He’d been a homesick boy at first, but he’s not anymore.

In the first part of this chapter, we saw that Joseph, when he was released from prison, changed his clothes, and shaved himself before appearing before Pharaoh. It may seem to you that shaving may not be very important, but to us there’s a point of interest.

The Hebrews wore beards, and when Joseph shaved himself and changed his clothing, it speaks to us of resurrection because he laid aside the old life and began the new life. From that point on, he dresses like an Egyptian; he talks like an Egyptian; he lives like an Egyptian. He says, “God made me forget.” So, he names his son Manasseh!

His second son is Ephraim, which means fruitfulness, because God made Joseph fruitful in Egypt.

These boys were born before the famine and Joseph gave them these names because God had made him forget his father’s house and had made him fruitful in the land of Egypt.

Verse 53,

Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, 

The seven years of bounty and surplus food are over now, and the famine has begun. Joseph’s now thirty–seven years old. Keep that in mind for the next chapter.

Verses 54 and 55,

and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 

So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.

Notice the fact that Joseph is the one who had the bread. There’s yet another parallel here. Jesus Christ said, “I am the Bread of life.”

Verses 56 and 57

The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. 

So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands. 

Notice that the famine is worldwide.

The dramatic incidents in Joseph’s life continue to unfold.

The pattern of God in using Joseph to preserve the race during the famine and the removal of Jacob and his sons to Egypt begins to emerge in clear detail.

When Joseph was back in that dungeon, he couldn’t see all of this of course, but he believed God. He’s a man, who, because of his faith, was always enthusiastic and optimistic.

We all wish that our faith would be so strong that regardless of what happened, and regardless of what the circumstances are, we could be optimistic.

Sometimes it takes surprisingly few dark clouds and very little rain to make us less optimistic than we should be.

Josephs in a unique position. Most of us could already guess what’s going to happen next. The famine is over all the earth, and all the earth is coming to Egypt to get grain. Guess who that includes!

The famine forces Jacob to send his ten sons to Egypt to buy food. Why only ten? Why didn’t he send Benjamin? Well, it would’ve killed him to have lost Benjamin as well as Joseph. To his knowledge Joseph was killed by wild animals.

Joseph recognised his brothers when they came to buy grain, but they didn’t recognize him. Why not? Well, there’s several reasons. First of all, they thought he was dead, so, they weren’t in any way looking for him. They never expected to see him again, but he did expect to see them.

We must also remember that many years had gone by. He was seventeen when they sold him, and now he is thirty–seven years old, plus however many years the famine had already been going for. Let’s say it was one year; so, they hadn’t seen him in twenty–one years. He’s almost forty and he’s dressed like an Egyptian and speaks and acts like an Egyptian.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Genesis 42:1

When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 

The brothers were looking at each other in a strange way when Egypt was mentioned and Jacob notices it.

Jacob noticed a strange expression among the brothers when Egypt was mentioned, because the brothers knew it was likely Joseph was sold as a slave there. Their conscience made them feel terrible any time Joseph or Egypt was mentioned.

Joseph’s brothers lived with a terrible secret for over 20 years. They never talked about it, but it never left them. Every time Joseph or Egypt was mentioned in the family it no doubt brought back the guilt. They were not free from the power of their terrible secret.

Verse 2,

And he (that’s Jacob) said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.” 

See, the famine wasn’t only a world problem; it was a family problem for Jacob.

This illustrates faith. Some people say that faith’s a mystery to them and that they don’t know how to believe. Notice here how Jacob believed. He heard something: “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt.” He believed it, believed that it would bring life to them. So, he acted upon his belief. He says to the brothers, “go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.”

Right here friends is what saving faith is. Some ask, “How can I believe in Jesus?” Imagine Jacob standing there before his ten sons and saying, “I’ve heard that there is corn down in Egypt, but how am I going to believe it?” Well, the way to believe it is to act on it. The Bible says in Acts 16 verse 31, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household…”.

You hear something and you believe it. That’s what old Jacob did. That’s the way he got grain which brought life to his family. And the way you and I get eternal life is through faith in Christ.

Genesis 42 verses 3 and 4,

So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 

But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.” 

Suppose some sort of disaster falls the other ten boys, then what? Well, for one thing they’re older but frankly, it wouldn’t have hurt Jacob as much as if he were to lose Benjamin.

Benjamin and Joseph were Rachel’s boys, and Rachel was the wife he’d deeply loved. So, he sends out all ten sons and keeps only Benjamin with him.

If Jacob only knew. If he could have only trusted the hand of God, which he couldn’t see! The only reason there was grain in Egypt that could provide for their needs was because God sent Joseph ahead of them all. God knew what He was doing.

Famine was, and is, a terrible thing, but God used it. God can and does use material need and lack in our life to get us to do things we normally would never do. Normally, the brothers would never go to Egypt; but their great need drove them there.

Verse 5,

And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 

Now we come to this dramatic moment in verse 6,

Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. 

Joseph’s been waiting watching for them. He knew they’d have to come. There’d been delegations there from all over the inhabited earth of that day because the famine was worldwide.

So, he watches, and lo and behold, one day, here come the ten men.

They all bow down before him. They got right down on their faces before Joseph. They knew that in this time of famine, their lives literally depended on this Egyptian official; therefore, they paid him great respect by bowing.

We can’t help but wonder how he felt. Here’s the literal fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams that God had given all those years ago. Remember how he’d dreamed as a boy that all the sheaves bowed down to his sheaf? Here it is now taking place. All his older brothers are down on their faces before him.

Maybe secretly, deep down in his spirit he thanked God that what He’d showed him all those years ago was true and was now being bought to physical reality right before his eyes.

When Joseph’s brothers plotted murder against him and sold him into slavery, they did it with the specific intention to defeat his dreams as we saw in chapter 37 verses 19 to 20.

Instead, by sending Joseph to Egypt, they actually provided the means for the dreams to be fulfilled.

The great and glorious truth of God’s providence is He can and does use the evil actions of man to further His plan and purpose. This never excuses man’s evil, but it means God’s wisdom and goodness are greater than man’s evil.

Genesis 42:7-8,

Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.” 

So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

Why did Joseph speak roughly to the brothers? He spoke through an interpreter as we’ll see later, because he didn’t want to reveal that he spoke Hebrew. He didn’t want to reveal his identity to his brothers yet, but he spoke to them roughly instead. Well, he’s testing them you see and he’s going to test them a whole lot more as well. He’s going to ask them some deeply penetrating questions.

Joseph recognised his brothers, but they didn’t recognise him, the verse says. In this, Joseph’s another picture of Jesus. Jesus sees who we are long before we see who He is. He recognises us – and Jesus still loves us in spite of who and what we really are.

Verses 9 to 11,

Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!” 

And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 

We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.” 

Joseph remembered the dreams of his youth where the family would bow down to him. The sight of his brethren now prostrating themselves before him recalled those dreams to his mind. What a range of emotions must he have felt.

He says to them, “You are spies”. See, he’s accusing them of coming to spy out the land to see if it’s unfortified and unprotected due to the famine.

The Egyptians were by nature distrustful of strangers. Whenever possible they prevented strangers from penetrating into the interior of their country. Joseph’s suspicion of his brethren from Canaan was perfectly natural reaction as Egypt was open to attacks from Palestine.

Believe me friends, Joseph’s pouring it on. They refer to themselves as “Your servants”. They’re humbling themselves before this 2^nd most powerful man in the known world.

Verses 12 and 13,

But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” 

And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.” 

Joseph’s trying to get as much information as he can about his family without letting them know who he is.

There’re only ten men there before him, but they confess that they are really twelve and that one is home with their father. The other “is not” or dead.

In other words, they consider Joseph dead, but here he is standing right before them, and they don’t know it!

Now for the third time Joseph accuses them of being spies.

Verse 14

But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’

Joseph’s not letting up on them. Again, he calls them spies.

Notice the big difference in the way Joseph deals with the Egyptians who are hungry and how he deals with his brothers. A very deep work of repentance is going to take place in them before they can receive the blessing of food and it’s Joseph who’s going to bring it about.

It’s exactly the same as the history of the nation of Israel after they rejected the Lord Jesus. Israel is now, in our time today, as God describes in Hosea 1 verse 9, “…you are not My people, And I will not be your God….

That is most definitely not to say that God has forgotten them and His promises to them. No way! He’s waiting until His perfect timing has arrived to take up the thread with them again. And all this happens in connection with the true Joseph, the Lord Jesus.

That thread will be taken up and repentance will be worked through what they experience in the great tribulation just before the final coming of the Lord Jesus.

Joseph’s manipulating the situation with his brothers here as he plans to make contact with his youngest brother and to find out all about his family, you see. Now we’ll have to wait and see what happens in the next episode my friends and until then I pray that God keeps you and blesses you greatly.