Genesis 43: Returning with Benjamin
Driven by famine, Jacob's sons return to Egypt with Benjamin, and Joseph welcomes them to a feast.
Genesis 43 (WEB)
1 The famine was severe in the land.
2 When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”
3 Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
4 If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food,
5 but if you’ll not send him, we’ll not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
7 They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down?’”
8 Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
9 I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever,
10 for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
11 Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
12 and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13 Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
14 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15 The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”
17 The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18 The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
21 When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
22 We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
24 The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
25 They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.
27 He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
28 They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
29 He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with another.
34 He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
Genesis 43 (KJV)
1 And the famine was sore in the land.
2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.
18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,
20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
24 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.
25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.
34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
Genesis 43 (ASV)
1 And the famine was sore in the land.
2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
5 but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down; for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
7 And they said, The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we in any wise know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
10 for except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time.
11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
12 and take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
13 take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
14 and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house, and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon.
17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spake unto him at the door of the house,
20 and said, Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21 and it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
22 And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food: we know not who put our money in our sacks.
23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
24 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.
25 And they made ready the present against Joseph’s coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down themselves to him to the earth.
27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
28 And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.
29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
33 And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one with another.
34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
Summary
The famine grows severe, and the grain from Egypt runs out. Judah reminds his father that the Egyptian ruler will not see them again unless Benjamin comes, and he offers himself as collateral for the boy's safety. Israel reluctantly agrees, sending a gift of choice fruits, double money, and his blessing that God Almighty grant them mercy. The brothers stand before Joseph, who orders a feast prepared. Fearful about the returned money, they explain themselves to the steward, who reassures them and brings out Simeon. When Joseph sees Benjamin, his heart yearns over his brother and he weeps privately before composing himself. He seats the brothers by age, astonishing them, and gives Benjamin five times the portion of the others as they feast together.
Main Characters
- Joseph — The Egyptian ruler who welcomes his brothers, weeps over Benjamin, and lavishly hosts them at his table.
- Judah — The brother who pledges himself as surety for Benjamin so the family can buy food and survive.
- Israel (Jacob) — The grieving father who finally releases Benjamin, entrusting his sons to God Almighty's mercy.
- Benjamin — Joseph's youngest full brother, brought to Egypt and singled out with a fivefold portion at the feast.
- The steward — Joseph's household servant who reassures the frightened brothers and restores Simeon to them.
Key Verse
Genesis 43:14 (WEB)
May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
Lessons Learned
- Faith often means releasing what we hold most tightly into the hands of God's mercy.
- Standing as surety for another, as Judah does, reflects a willingness to bear cost for someone else's good.
- God can soften hardship into hospitality, turning a feared encounter into an unexpected welcome.
- Tender affection may need to be held back for a season, but it is no less real for being hidden.
- Surrender to God's mercy is the posture of faith. Israel sends his sons saying, 'May God Almighty give you mercy before the man,' resting the outcome in God's hands (Genesis 43:14, WEB).
- Love willingly takes responsibility for others. Judah offers, 'I'll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him,' bearing the risk so the family may live (Genesis 43:9, WEB).
- God meets our fears with unexpected peace. When the brothers tremble over the money, the steward says, 'Peace be to you. Don't be afraid,' easing their dread (Genesis 43:23, WEB).
- Genuine compassion runs deeper than appearances. Joseph's 'heart yearned over his brother,' and he had to find a private place to weep before composing himself (Genesis 43:30, WEB).
- God's provision is abundant, not merely adequate. Joseph gives Benjamin a portion 'five times as much as any of theirs,' a picture of lavish, undeserved favor (Genesis 43:34, WEB).
- What argument does Judah use to persuade Israel to send Benjamin (Genesis 43:8-9)?
- How does Israel's prayer in verse 14 show both his fear and his faith?
- Why do the brothers become afraid when they are brought to Joseph's house (Genesis 43:18)?
- When have you had to release something or someone precious into God's care, and what did that require of you?
- How does the steward's reassurance and the generous feast challenge the way you expect difficult situations to unfold?
- Judah pledges to be personally responsible for Benjamin and argues that going down to Egypt is the only way the whole family can live and not die (Genesis 43:8-9); his willingness to bear the blame forever moves his father to act.
- Israel admits he may be bereaved, yet he prays for God Almighty's mercy, showing he both fears the loss and entrusts the outcome to God (Genesis 43:14). Invite the group to notice how faith and fear can coexist.
- They assume they are being brought in so the ruler can seize them as slaves over the returned money (Genesis 43:18); their guilt and uncertainty make them read danger into kindness.
- This is a personal question. Encourage members to share specific situations and let them name the fear and the trust involved; affirm that releasing what is precious is rarely easy.
- This is a personal application question. Help the group reflect on how the steward's 'don't be afraid' and the unexpected feast invite them to hold their assumptions about hardship more loosely and to watch for God's surprising kindness.