As I read Genesis 43, I am reminded of a little joke I was told when I was a boy. A land was flooded, but a man prayed to be saved, and he had faith that the Lord would answer his prayers. So, when rescuers came to deliver the man from his home, before it was too late, the man refused, saying he trusted the Lord would save him. This occurred three times, once with the police, then the fire department and, lastly, by an emergency crew in a boat. Finally, the flood took away his house and the man with it, and he died. In heaven, the man questioned the Lord, asking why he didn’t come to save him. The Lord told the man that he sent the police, then the fire department and, finally, the emergency crew. What more did he want? The moral of the story, of course, is the Lord often uses other folks to answer our prayers.
Jacob was a man of faith, and he, wisely, looked to Egypt for the Lord to save him. The famine that had stricken the East was severe and there was no end in sight. Nevertheless, Egypt had grain, and they were willing to sell some grain to foreign merchants. However, Jacob’s faith was shaken years ago, when the brothers, Jacob’s oldest ten sons, told him that Joseph was caught by a wild animal and slain (Genesis 37:31-33). How could the Lord have permitted that to occur? Jacob had never gotten over the fact that Joseph was taken from him. Therefore, although the Lord had provided grain for his family in Egypt, Jacob didn’t want to risk Benjamin’s life to go down and purchase it. So, he was left between a rock and a hard place. What was he to do?
No doubt discussions about going to Egypt for grain occurred from time to time, but Jacob kept refusing to allow the brothers to take Benjamin with them. However, when the famine became severe in the land, and it was apparent that, if nothing was done, they would all die, or, at least all could die, Jacob told his sons to return to Egypt and buy grain to feed them and their animals (Genesis 43:1-2).
It was Judah who spoke out, saying to their father that it would be fruitless to go down to Egypt without Benjamin. The man (Joseph) made it very clear that the brothers wouldn’t see his face, unless they brought their youngest brother with them. Therefore, Judah told Jacob, his father, that they would go down to Egypt only if Benjamin came with them. If not, they would remain in the Land of Canaan, because the man (Joseph) was adamant about the matter. They would not get to see him, unless Benjamin came with them to Egypt (Genesis 43:3-5)?
Knowing something had to be done, Jacob mourned over the fact that the men had even mentioned, Benjamin even existed (Genesis 43:6). Nevertheless, the deed was done, besides which the brothers told Jacob that the man (Joseph) was very specific in the questions he asked: “Is your father alive? Do you have another brother?” etc. How could they know from the questions he asked that he would require them to bring Benjamin down to Egypt with them (Genesis 43:7)?
Finally, Judah spoke out, and for the first time one of the ten brothers embraced full responsibility for the things he did. He told Jacob to send their brother with them so they could buy grain and, in doing so, they and their families would live (Genesis 43:8). Moreover, if Jacob would do this, Judah promised to be the lad’s surety. Let him be blamed now and forever, if Benjamin didn’t return with him. Surely, if they hadn’t lingered this long in indecision, they would have already returned the second time (Genesis 43:9-10).
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