Thematic Bible: Dissembling


Thematic Bible



And Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them. And he spoke with them harshly and said to them, "From where have you come?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food." And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed concerning them, and he said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!" read more.
And they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. We all are sons of one man. We [are] honest [men]. We, your servants, are not spies." Then he said to them, "No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land." Then they said, "We, your servants, [are] twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, but behold, the youngest [is] with our father today, and one is no more." But Joseph said to them, "It [is] what I said to you--you [are] spies. By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh you will not go out from here unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, but you will be kept in prison so that your words might be tested [to see] if [there is] truth with you. And if not, by the life of Pharaoh surely you [are] spies." Then he gathered them into the prison for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live; I fear God. If you [are] honest, let one of your brothers be kept in prison {where you are now being kept}, but [the rest of] you go, carry grain for the famine for your households. You must bring your youngest brother to me, and then your words will be confirmed and you will not die." And they did so.

And when Joseph came into the house they brought the gift that [was] in their hand into the house to him, and they bowed down before him to the ground. And {he greeted them} and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" And they said, "Your servant our father [is] well; he is still alive." And they knelt and bowed down. read more.
Then he lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother, the son of his mother, and said, "Is this your youngest brother of whom you told me?" And he continued, "God be gracious to you, my son." Then Joseph {hurried away}, {being overcome with emotion} toward his brother, and sought for [a place] to cry. Then he went into a room and wept there. Then he washed his face and went out, now controlling himself, and said, "Serve the food." And they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, for Egyptians {could not dine} with Hebrews, because that [was] a detestable thing to Egyptians. And they were seated before him [from] the firstborn according to his birthright [to] the youngest according to his youth. And the men {looked at one another} amazed. And portions were served to them from {his table}, and the portion of Benjamin was five times greater than the portion of any of them. And they drank and became drunk with him.

So he changed his behavior {before them} and pretended to be mad {in their presence}. He made scratches on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down into his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see a madman! Why did you bring him to me? Do I lack madmen that you have brought this one to act like a madman before me? Should this one enter my household?"