So this story takes place 14 years after Joseph was put in charge of the land by Pharoah. At the time of the appointment, Joseph had been in Egypt 13 years. 17+13+14=44. Joseph was now 44. His other brothers who visited were older, probably 50-65 or so as an age spread. Benjamin was younger than Joseph but not a child. Probably 35-40 or so.
Jacob was quite older now, but the loss of Rachel and Joseph stuck with him all these years. He said tat Benjamin was alone, however, he had 10 other brothers. Makes me wonder how integrated the family was with four mothers of 12 sons and 1 daughter. Maybe, since they were herdsmen who lived in tents, they lived in different areas where their flocks were pastured according to households with their mothers. So, Benjamin may have lived with Jacob, but not with his other brothers.
The brothers had been away from Joseph for 17 years. He probably had a shaved head and raiment like along the Egyptian style for the upper class. Joseph's brothers still dressed the same as when Joseph was sold. So, this was may have been how Joseph recognized them and they did not recognized him. Joseph was now bilingual (or multi) and so he could speak in the Egyptian tongue so they could not recognize or understand him.
Joseph's accusations that they were spies was a serious one, especially in a time of famine, making the area vulnerable.
He knew they were not spies, but wanted the brothers to speak about the family to know about Benjamin and his father. He wept, probably to find out that his brother and father were alive and well as well as to see his brothers once again.
His response to seeing his brothers shows that Joseph held no animosity towards his brothers for what they did to him. He knew he was favored by God in the time he had been in Egypt. He knew he was now in a place to bless his family with much needed corn to feed their flocks and to feel their families. He knew that if he did not help them, his family could easily starve.
Jacob was quite older now, but the loss of Rachel and Joseph stuck with him all these years. He said tat Benjamin was alone, however, he had 10 other brothers. Makes me wonder how integrated the family was with four mothers of 12 sons and 1 daughter. Maybe, since they were herdsmen who lived in tents, they lived in different areas where their flocks were pastured according to households with their mothers. So, Benjamin may have lived with Jacob, but not with his other brothers.
The brothers had been away from Joseph for 17 years. He probably had a shaved head and raiment like along the Egyptian style for the upper class. Joseph's brothers still dressed the same as when Joseph was sold. So, this was may have been how Joseph recognized them and they did not recognized him. Joseph was now bilingual (or multi) and so he could speak in the Egyptian tongue so they could not recognize or understand him.
Joseph's accusations that they were spies was a serious one, especially in a time of famine, making the area vulnerable.
He knew they were not spies, but wanted the brothers to speak about the family to know about Benjamin and his father. He wept, probably to find out that his brother and father were alive and well as well as to see his brothers once again.
His response to seeing his brothers shows that Joseph held no animosity towards his brothers for what they did to him. He knew he was favored by God in the time he had been in Egypt. He knew he was now in a place to bless his family with much needed corn to feed their flocks and to feel their families. He knew that if he did not help them, his family could easily starve.
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