GENESIS 

Chapter 42 and 43 

If you don’t have a Bible handy, click this link for Genesis Chapter 42 and Chapter 43.

Chapter 42
Verses 1-5:    Jacob sends 10 sons to Egypt for food – keeps Benjamin home.
Verses 6-17:  Joseph recognizes his brothers but they don’t recognize him.
Verses 18-24: Joseph puts Simeon in prison – tells the brothers to go and get Benjamin.
Verses 25-28: Joseph has their sacks filled with grain and also includes the money they used to pay for it.
Verses 29-38: The brothers tell Jacob what happened but he won’t allow Benjamin to go.

Chapter 43
Verses 1-10:   They run out of food and Jacob tells them to go and buy more.
Verses 11-15: Jacob (Israel) allows Benjamin to go with the brothers to get food.
Verses 16-31: They all go to dinner at Joseph’s house.
Verses 32-34: Joseph seats them in age order – they each get a serving a food but Benjamin gets 5 times as much.

Discussion
-- Why does Joseph pick Simeon? Could he be the one who wanted to kill him?
-- Do you think the brothers regretted what they did to Joseph?
-- Jacob is still showing favoritism to his sons by Rachel but the brothers are acting differently. Have they learned their lesson? Have they matured?
-- In chapter 42 Jacob is called Jacob. In chapter 43, he is called Israel. Is Jacob now trusting God?
-- The brothers are bewildered that Joseph knows their age order. What do you think was going thru their minds?
-- Did Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream come true?
-- Did Joseph’s dreams (chapter 37) come true?
-- God had to put Jacob in a position where he had no other choice but to trust God. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt there were no choices? What did you do?