Joseph Meets His Brothers

Joseph meets his brothers (image from freebibleimages.org).

Central Truth: What was meant for evil, God will turn for good.

Scriptures: Genesis 42-43

Joseph had been put in charge of the storehouses in Egypt. When the famine struck, he opened the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians and to people from other countries. After two years of famine, Jacob sends ten of his sons to Egypt to buy food so they would not die. When the brothers went before Joseph, they did not recognize him, but he recognized them. He accused them of being spies and locked them in prison for three days. They tell Joseph that they are the sons of one man who lives in Canaan. They tell him that their youngest brother, Benjamin, was left behind and another brother had died. In order to prove their story, Joseph told them to bring their younger brother to Egypt. To ensure their return, Joseph imprisons their brother, Simeon. When the brothers returned home, to their horror they discover that their money they had paid for the food had been placed in their sacks. They were greatly afraid. 

When their grain had run out, Jacob again sent his sons back to Egypt. He sent his youngest son, Benjamin, with them along with spices, nuts, honey, and double the money. Upon arriving in Egypt, Joseph commanded that a feast. The brothers tried to explain to the steward of Joseph's house about the money found in their sacks, but he was unconcerned and sat them down for a meal according to their birth. The men were amazed that Joseph knew their birth order and that Benjamin received five times as much food as the rest.

Joseph: the Incredible Dreamer was also used as a supplement to this week's lesson. It contains activities, puzzles, and coloring pages based on the Joseph story.