Joseph’s Brothers Need Food

Joseph’s Brothers Need Food

Q: When Joseph’s brothers came to buy food, he accused them of being

• a. spies.
• b. murderers.
• c. betrayers.

God used Pharaoh’s dreams to show a famine was coming, so Joseph planned ahead and stored food. Soon people in other countries were running out of food and traveling to Egypt to buy it.

One day Jacob sent his 10 oldest sons to buy food. He kept Benjamin at home because he’d never gotten over losing Joseph. He didn’t want to lose his youngest son. Benjamin was the only other child Rachel had given birth to.

When the brothers arrived in Egypt, Joseph recognized them, but they didn’t know who he was. Joseph said, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”

The brothers protested, “We, your servants, are all brothers, sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is back there with our father right now, and one of our brothers is no longer with us.”

Joseph said he’d keep one brother in prison. The rest had to go home and return with the youngest brother to prove their story was true. Joseph gave them grain and had their money put in the bags of grain too. He gave them supplies for their journey and sent them on their way, except for Simeon, who stayed behind to prove they’d return.

Jacob refused to let the brothers take Benjamin to Egypt. But the food ran out again, and they made the long trip back with Benjamin.

Joseph’s brothers mistreated him, but God made sure Joseph was in the right place to help his family survive the famine. Sometimes what is difficult at the time becomes a good thing later.

For You

When someone treats you unfairly or unkindly, it’s easy to want to get even. But be like Joseph and determine to do what is right. Let God take care of the rest.

Answer: a

[Joseph] remembered the dreams he’d had about [his brothers] many years before. He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”   Genesis 42:9

(The Whole Story: Genesis 42:1–43:15)