Joseph in Egypt as Similitude of Christ and You

# 5 Joseph In Egypt

By

Jeffrey A. Bushman March 2014

This is rather lengthy but the imagery in this one was to use Joseph as Similitude of Christ and how Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and compare it to how the Lord would like to reveal himself to all who are of the house of Israel.  Hopefully you may also see some connections to the temple experience.

There has been much written and taught about how Joseph is symbolic of Jesus Christ.  Most dwell on how he was the birthright son and beloved of his father.  He was to be responsible for his father’s family when Israel was not present.  He is  betrayed or sold by Judah after his brothers rejected him.  He is sold for 20 pieces of silver (the price of a teenage slave) Christ for 30 pieces of silver (the price of an adult slave).  His  brothers were jealous of his birthright to direct the family of Israel and wanted to be the rulers over the family.  Joseph was sold into the world or Egypt, which will make a way to save his whole family.  Everything the scriptures talk about Joseph is how good he is and refuses to sin to enjoy a, quote, “better life”.  All he does prospers and he endures rejection and persecution without just cause.  He has gifts from God to interpret dreams and be a great leader and organizer.  He is always trying his best to do what he can under all circumstances.

From this point on I will go through the story of Joseph with the famine and show what I feel is the greatest desire the Lord has for the House of Israel.  He wants to reveal himself to them in righteousness and bring them Eternal Life through the power of His father.  I have left the actual written story line and included in red some thoughts I have had on the subject.  These are just a few for I have had many.

Genesis 41

1 ¶ AND it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well-favoured kine and fat-fleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the [other] kine upon the brink of the river.

4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.

7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, [it was] a dream.

8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but [there was] none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

9 ¶ Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:

10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, [both] me and the chief baker:

11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

12 And [there was] there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. (Christ has the ability to deal with us individually according to our own life and needs)

13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved [himself], and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. (Jesus always does everything in his power to take advantages of his opportunities.)

15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and [there is] none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, [that] thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, [It is] not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. (Jesus said, “…that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” John 8:28)

17 ¶ And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favoured; and they fed in a meadow:

19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:

20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:

21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they [were] still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:

23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, [and] blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:

24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told [this] unto the magicians; but [there was] none that could declare [it] to me.

25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh [is] one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he [is] about to do.

26 The seven good kine [are] seven years; and the seven good ears [are] seven years: the dream [is] one.

27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them [are] seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

28 This [is] the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God [is] about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:

30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; (Seven is a number representing God and perfection or being complete. God is going to prepare enough during the plenty, so that he can save the world when it is without bread or life.)

31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it [shall be] very grievous.

32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; [it is] because the thing [is] established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

33 ¶ Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. (Egypt or the world was under the control of Pharaoh or Heavenly Father and he would pick out Jesus or Joseph to oversee his land)

34 Let Pharaoh do [this], and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. (God will make preparations to make sure there is sufficient in the land when there is a famine or lack of the bread of life)

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find [such a one] as this [is], a man in whom the Spirit of God [is]?

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, [there is] none so discreet and wise as thou [art]: (Jesus “Joseph” is chosen because he has the spirit of God in Him and can know the mind and will of God.)

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. (His role is defined in his relationship to the Father)

41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. (The world is under his direction.)

42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; (Power and authority to act for God in the world.)

43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him [ruler] over all the land of Egypt. (All the world would bow the knee and he had to power to go throughout the world.  Here is second only to the King.)

44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I [am] Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. (All power and authority in this world will have to go through Christ, he gives us ability to act and to move.)

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over [all] the land of Egypt. (His name means to reveal that which is hidden, (BD) Also the greatest thing that Christ would like to reveal is the mysteries of the knowledge of God. See D&C 84:19 & John 17:3 where it is life eternal if we get to the point where we learn who God and Christ are as they  reveal themselves to us.)

 46 ¶ And Joseph [was] thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. (The age when Christ starts his ministry.)

47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. (There is enough of the (7) perfect or complete bread of life, for all who will come.)

48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which [was] round about every city, laid he up in the same.

49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for [it was] without number. (Christ prepares for the salvation of the world “the bread of life” and there is enough for all.)

50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. (Christ shall see his seed and be satisfied. Isaiah 53)

51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, [said he], hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. (Because of his seed who accepts of his atonement he will feel his trials were worth it.)

53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. (The land where Joseph reigned)

55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. If you want the bread of life from God you have to get it through the person that god has appointed for this purpose, in other words Jesus Christ.

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy [corn]; because that the famine was [so] sore in all lands. (Joseph is the one who possess the bread (of Life) you need to go to him.

Genesis 42

1 ¶ NOW when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. (Jacob realized that their salvation would have to come from Egypt because that is where the bread was and also Joseph “Jesus”, and they need to go and get bread, meaning the bread of life.)

3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. 

5 And the sons of Israel came to buy [corn] among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 And Joseph [was] the governor over the land, [and] he [it was] that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him [with] their faces to the earth. (Again all have to go through Joseph to get this bread and they reverence him. Joseph had known before that his brothers would bow down, but all 11 and not just 10.)

7 ¶ And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. (Christ knows them all as he does us, especially those of the house of Israel.  He will repeat over and over that he knows them, but he makes himself strange unto them for all will be proved to see if they will keep the commandments of God before he makes himself known unto them.  Even to the point of treating them roughly if it is for their good.)

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. (Again Christ knows all of us, but we all come to him for bread without really knowing who and what he is.)

9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye [are] spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. (He knows that all 11 have to be there not just 10 and will devise a plan to bring a completion of the prophecies.)

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. (They say we will pay for what we get, and will not rob you.)

11 We [are] all one man's sons; we [are] true [men], thy servants are no spies. (Here they are stating that they are true men and not thieves.  This theme of being true men will run throughout this experience. But in the past they have shown to Joseph that they were not true men and took from him his rightful position as the favored son of his father and took his right to preside over the house of covenant Israel.  They have been thieves in the past or at least taken what they wanted from him.)

12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13 And they said, Thy servants [are] twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest [is] this day with our father, and one [is] not. (Start to reveal things that will let Joseph know whether they are true men.)

14 And Joseph said unto them, That [is it] that I spake unto you, saying, Ye [are] spies:

15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. (I will now prove you herewith to see if you are true men.)

16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether [there be any] truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye [are] spies. (The test begins.)

17 And he put them all together into ward (prison) three days. (Three represents thing that relate to God.)

18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; [for] I fear God: (Because of them telling the truth about the family he now is going to start the test to see if they really are true men, and reveals things to them about himself, like I believe in God and am not like the Egyptians.  Again Christ desire is to reveal himself to the house of Israel and those who will join with them in true worship, but he will do it by degrees as we prove ourselves as being true men.)

19 If ye [be] true [men], let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: (He then is going to keep one of the brothers and let the others go home to bring food to their families, but the test is whether they will forget their brother and go about their life like, they did to him.)

20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. (If you are true men then bring Benjamin and I will bless you and you will not die.  They have no idea that the famine is for 7 years and there is still over 5 years to go.  But he is also referring to spiritual death.)

21 ¶ And they said one to another, We [are] verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. (They talk among themselves and said that this bad thing is happening because of what we did to Joseph when we sold him. They are realizing their sins have impact on their future lives.)

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. (Because of our sins this is happening to us.  He is correct.)

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood [them]; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. (Christ knows everything we speak and think, but here he talks through the prophets to them, for they are not ready to speak to him face to face.)

24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. (The Lord wants to let them know who he is, but they need this test for them to know if they are willing to do all things that are for their good.  He has true feelings of love for them and the greatest desire is to make himself know to them so they can have eternal life.)

25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. (He then gives them corn, or bread of life and has their money put back into their bags for the bread of life is free to those of the house of Israel.  He also is supporting them in their journey.)

26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. (Though the bread of life is provided they have to take it and use it in their life.  They have to do some works to make this mercy available to them and their family.)

27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it [was] in his sack's mouth.

28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, [it is] even in my sack: and their heart failed [them], and they were afraid, saying one to another, What [is] this [that] God hath done unto us? (The bread of Life or the Gospel is free to the house of Israel.  Also this may be a test of whether they will bring the money back to demonstrate they are true men.)

29 ¶ And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

30 The man, [who is] the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

31 And we said unto him, We [are] true [men]; we are no spies:

32 We [be] twelve brethren, sons of our father; one [is] not, and the youngest [is] this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye [are] true [men]; leave one of your brethren [here] with me, and take [food for] the famine of your households, and be gone:

34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye [are] no spies, but [that] ye [are] true [men: so] will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land. (Joseph needs them to know that they are true men for themselves, for if he reveals himself to them before they have proved themselves, they would be good in Joseph’s presence because of the fear of what Joseph could do to them because of what they had done to him. Joseph wanted them to treat him nice out of love and respect, not out of the fear of punishment for past actions.)

35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money [was] in his sack: and when [both] they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved [of my children]: Joseph [is] not, and Simeon [is] not, and ye will take Benjamin [away]: all these things are against me.

37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

Genesis 43

1 ¶ AND the famine [was] sore in the land.

2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, go again and buy us a little food.

 3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother [be] with you. (If you don’t keep your end of the deal then you can’t even come in to see me or talk with me, for you will not be true men. We also talk about seeing the Lord and knowing that “I am God”.  We call this Eternal Life, John 17:3. Part of the curse associated with promised lands is if you keep not my covenants you will cut off from my presence.)

4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

5 But if thou wilt not send [him], we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother [be] with you.

6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye [so] ill with me, [as] to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, [Is] your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, [and] also our little ones.

9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: (Here Judah who had sold the favorite son of Israel is now saying put your “now favorite son” in my hands, I will be responsible for him, what a great way to see if Judah is a true man.)

10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

11 ¶ And their father Israel said unto them, If [it must be] so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: (We need to bring what little we have to the Savior when we are asking him to give us the bread of life.  A great tie in to grace and our works.)

 12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry [it] again in your hand; peradventure it [was] an oversight: (To show that you are true and honest men.)

13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved [of my children], I am bereaved. (The plea of Jacob was that Heavenly Father would give them mercy before Joseph “Jesus” since he was the only one with the ability to give mercy.  Without going back to Joseph they would all die.)

15 ¶ And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring [these] men home, and slay, and make ready; for [these] men shall dine with me at noon. (Once Joseph saw that they had brought Benjamin and were fulfilling their part of the agreement, he had his servant invite them to his own house “temple” to be filled with meat.  Jesus said, “Labour not for the meat whichperisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (John 6:27)  Also Mal 3:8-10 where God states that we should pay tithing so that there will be meat in my house.  The meat is the bread of life.  Here in his house they will get to know him even better as they are more worthy than before for they have kept his commandments.  Noon is also the time when the light is the greatest.

17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.

18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, (Here at the door to Joseph’s house they feel a need to make sure they are considered true men so they talk to the servant at the door, “recommend desk” and explain their situation that they were not thieves.)

20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, [every] man's money [was] in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

23 And he said, Peace [be] to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them. (After their explanation, the servant tells them that they are fine.  The Lord has blessed them and he had been given their money, their family is then restored to them as they get ready to enter Joseph’s home.)

24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave [them] water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. (As the enter Joseph’s home they are washed or cleansed “temple” and their immediate needs are taken care of so that they may focus on this experience they are to have with Joseph.)

25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there. (They show preparation to show Joseph they appreciate what he has and will do for them.)

26 ¶ And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which [was] in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. (They now fulfill the dream Joseph had of his 11 brothers, all the descendents of the house of Israel bow before the Lord.)

27 And he asked them of [their] welfare, and said, [Is] your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? [Is] he yet alive?

28 And they answered, Thy servant our father [is] in good health, he [is] yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, [Is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought [where] to weep; and he entered into [his] chamber, and wept there. (Still not time to reveal himself to them.)

31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. (In his house they have a meal together.  Meals were often part of covenant making.  Internalize the covenant, or to make it a part of them like taking Sacrament.)

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.

33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marveled one at another. (He places them according to age, everything in its proper order.)

34 And he took [and sent] messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him. (Benjamin had not sinned against Joseph so he is given more, also to see if they would be jealous of the attention paid to him like they were when Joseph received the attention.  They are also getting to know Joseph better as they eat and drink together and have an enjoyable time.)

Genesis 44

1 ¶ AND he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks [with] food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.

2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. (The final test to see if they are true men is set.  The cup we learn may be Joseph’s Urim & Thummim wherein he can divine, and see hidden things like his Egyptian name means.)

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

4 [And] when they were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

5 [Is] not this [it] in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.

7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.

10 And he said, Now also [let] it [be] according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. (Men shall be punished for their own sins and not for the sins of another.)

11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

12 And he searched, [and] began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he [was] yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed [is] this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? (I have a gift that lets me know things that others do not know.)

16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we [are] my lord's servants, both we, and [he] also with whom the cup is found. (They state that they had said that they would be servants if any had the cup. But Joseph is going to say that everyone is guiltless except who took the cup.  We are to answer for our own sins.)

17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: [but] the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. (The real test is finally here.  They can all go back home by leaving one of their brothers, if they are thinking about themselves.  This is much like what they did to Joseph himself.)

18 ¶ Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou [art] even as Pharaoh. (Judah, the one who sold Joseph and then said he would be responsible for Benjamin now asks to speak a word in the Lord’s ear who is like God “temple” and explain his situation or solution to the problem.)

19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for [if] he should leave his father, [his father] would die.

23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 And our father said, Go again, [and] buy us a little food.

26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother [be] with us.

27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two [sons]:

28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad [be] not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad [is] not [with us], that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad [be] not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. (Here Judah now offers his life for the life of his younger brother and is willing to serve Joseph if Benjamin can go home.  He has just demonstrated that he (by offering his life for his  brother) and his brothers have repented and are true men as they have been claiming, as he is communing with Joseph in his house. “temple”)

Genesis 45

 1 ¶ THEN Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. (Now that they have proved themselves, Joseph “Jesus” knows that he can reveal himself to them because they are men of truth like he is and have repented of their past sins and will now live righteous lives, like Joseph.  He sends out all servants (non Israelite) for he can only reveal himself to his covenant people.  He then makes himself known to his brothers.  They have the opportunity to know him (John 17:3 eternal life) and will be invited to live with him and enjoy the most prosperous blessing of the earth.)

2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. (The Lord has wanted to reveal himself all along and has great emotion as he is able to reveal himself to his brothers)

3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I [am] Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could  not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. (In this verse, I just like the phrase “I am”, the same name that Jesus tell Moses to give the Israelites on who is send him to them.)

4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I [am] Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. (Revelation 13:8, the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.)

6 For these two years [hath] the famine [been] in the land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor harvest.

7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (The purpose of the Lord is to preserve us a posterity in the earth “Celestial Kingdom” and he accomplished this by a great deliverance by being the bread of Life.)

8 So now [it was] not you [that] sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. (This seemingly negative experience for Joseph was God’s way preparing a Savior for them.  God used their sin or mistake to  bring about his plan of salvation for the house of Israel.)

9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: (If you know where the Lord is you need to go to him and he will bless you.)

10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:

11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet [there are] five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. (Come unto me and ye shall prosper in the land.)

12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth that speaketh unto you. (Here, and in the following verses he separates Benjamin from his other brothers because Benjamin had not sinned against him like they had.)

13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

16 ¶ And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

18 And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. (The righteous of Israel will get the good and eat the fat of the earth.) Fat is symbolic of God giving us more blessing than we deserve.

19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt [is] yours.

21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver, and five changes of raiment.

23 And to his father he sent after this [manner]; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

25 ¶ And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

26 And told him, saying, Joseph [is] yet alive, and he [is] governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

28 And Israel said, [It is] enough; Joseph my son [is] yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.