Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Chiding » Reuben chides his brothers for their treatment of joseph
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!”
Verse Concepts
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.' "
Conviction » Instances of » Joseph's brother, on account of their cruelty to joseph
“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ iniquity. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”
Verse Concepts
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!"
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence.
Verse Concepts
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, "If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the wrong we caused him." So they sent this message to Joseph, "Before he died your father gave a command: 'Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers' transgression and their sin-the wrong they caused you.' Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when their message came to him. read more.
Then his brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, "We are your slaves!" But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result-the survival of many people. Therefore don't be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Then his brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, "We are your slaves!" But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result-the survival of many people. Therefore don't be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Reuben » Adroitly seeks to save joseph from the conspiracy of his brothers
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!”
Verse Concepts
When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them. He said, "Let's not take his life." Reuben also said to them, "Don't shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don't lay a hand on him"-intending to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father. When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. read more.
Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat a meal. They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, "What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our [own] flesh." His brothers agreed. When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone! What am I going to do?"
Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat a meal. They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, "What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our [own] flesh." His brothers agreed. When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone! What am I going to do?"