Since Jacob (aka Israel) would not let Benjamin go to Egypt, the family members go on with their lives while Simeon remains imprisoned over in Egypt. Finally, the grain runs out and Jacob tells his sons to go back to Egypt and get some more. They remind him of the deal and he finally consents to let Benjamin travel with them. They take double the money as well as gifts of balm, honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds.
They still don't know it is Joseph who they are dealing with. Joseph is happy to see his younger brother Benjamin. He is fond of his younger brother because he and Benjamin shared the same mother (Jacob/Israel was a polygamist who had married two sisters and had children with each of them, as well as with the sisters' respective servants). Joseph releases Simeon from prison and then treats the family of brothers to a feast, at which he gives Benjamin five times the amount of food and drink as everyone else. They have a good time.
The King James version of Genesis Chapter 43 states:
43:32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
As Chev points out, why did the Egyptians despise Hebrews so much that eating bread with them was "an abomination?"
Joseph gives Benjamin five times the amount of food as the others, apparently to see if the brothers held the same envy toward Benjamin as they had held toward him due to favoritism. It appears that they have transcended envy.
Related posts:
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Canonical URL by SEO No Duplicate WordPress Plugin