Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Commerce » Carried on by » Egyptians
Listen," he went on, "I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die." So 10 of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, "Something might happen to him." read more.
The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land." "No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said. "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies." "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land." But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living." Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!' This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live. If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this. Then they said to each other, "It is plain that we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us." But Reuben replied: "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen. Now we must account for his blood!" They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. He turned away from them and wept. Then he turned back and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man's money to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there. At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag. He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It's here in my bag." Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?" When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: "The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. But we told him: We are honest men and not spies. We were 12 brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan. The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest men: Leave one brother with me, take [food to relieve] the hunger of your households, and go. Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.' "
The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land." "No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said. "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies." "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land." But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living." Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!' This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live. If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this. Then they said to each other, "It is plain that we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us." But Reuben replied: "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen. Now we must account for his blood!" They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. He turned away from them and wept. Then he turned back and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man's money to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there. At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag. He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It's here in my bag." Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?" When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: "The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. But we told him: We are honest men and not spies. We were 12 brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan. The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest men: Leave one brother with me, take [food to relieve] the hunger of your households, and go. Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.' "
Commerce » Egyptians
Listen," he went on, "I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die." So 10 of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, "Something might happen to him." read more.
The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land." "No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said. "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies." "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land." But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living." Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!' This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live. If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this. Then they said to each other, "It is plain that we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us." But Reuben replied: "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen. Now we must account for his blood!" They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. He turned away from them and wept. Then he turned back and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man's money to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there. At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag. He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It's here in my bag." Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?" When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: "The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. But we told him: We are honest men and not spies. We were 12 brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan. The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest men: Leave one brother with me, take [food to relieve] the hunger of your households, and go. Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.' "
The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land." "No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said. "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies." "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land." But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living." Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!' This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live. If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this. Then they said to each other, "It is plain that we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us." But Reuben replied: "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen. Now we must account for his blood!" They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. He turned away from them and wept. Then he turned back and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man's money to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there. At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag. He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It's here in my bag." Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?" When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: "The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. But we told him: We are honest men and not spies. We were 12 brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan. The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest men: Leave one brother with me, take [food to relieve] the hunger of your households, and go. Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.' "
Dissembling » Instances of » Joseph
When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land." read more.
"No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said. "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies." "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land." But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living." Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!' This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live. If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this.
"No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said. "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies." "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land." But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living." Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!' This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live. If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this.
When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had carried into the house, and they bowed to the ground before him. He asked if they were well, and he said, "How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?" They answered, "Your servant our father is well. He is still alive." And they bowed down to honor him. read more.
When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son." Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room to weep. Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, "Serve the meal." They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is abhorrent to them. They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. Portions were served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin's portion was five times larger than any of theirs. They drank, and they got drunk with Joseph.
When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son." Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room to weep. Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, "Serve the meal." They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is abhorrent to them. They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. Portions were served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin's portion was five times larger than any of theirs. They drank, and they got drunk with Joseph.