Devotional Short Notes on Genesis 43
The chapter start with Moses
excerpting from the Book of Jacob that there was a famine in the land and it
was very severe. Strict biblical chronology and the old reckoning by J.von
Beckerath of Egyptian pharaohs brought pharaoh Sesostris I was the pharaoh
under whom this happened in his 21st year in 1951/1950 BCE. Two
Julian years normally intersect into one Egyptian year since their seasons
shifted due to one quarter of a day that they did not count in their solar year
calculations. Their months were 360 days plus 5 days added every year but short
of the one quarter to make it similar to ours. Thus, a slip of days and months
over years and decades. After 1460 years the calendar is then again correct and
that morning the Sothis star can be observed in the right place and right time
appearing in the East just before sunrise when observed from either Memphis,
Thebes or Elephantine. But the year of the correction for each of these places
are different. The article on this by a certain W. Ward in 1992 in BASOR. Moses said the famine of the year
1951/1950 BCE was severe in Canaan: “And the famine was sore in the land” = וְהָרָעָב, כָּבֵד בָּאָרֶץ (Genesis 43:1). The original
used the word “heavy”. Even in colloquial English we used the word heavy for
tragic disasters. They came back
but the food did not last that long and more food was needed. Even though there was a drought in the
land, certain fruits still produced and they had a little honey, little balm,
spices, ldanum, nuts and almonds (Genesis 43:11). Their animals also needed
food as one can see with the drought in the Cape of South Africa currently. Severity of drought has nothing to do
with pollution or human instrumentalities. It was global in the past without
pollution and with severity. Famines recycle in the course of history. Different with Joseph in 1951/1950 BCE
than with Daniel in 605 BCE is that Daniel was a Vegetarian but Joseph not
(Genesis 43:16). Beef eating was common in biblical times before the use of
injections against diseases like in modern times. The method of feeding in
traditional Egypt of their animals to be eaten was different than the “battery
style quick commercial feeding” of contemporary times. Thus, Ellen White’s
counsel to refrain from beef eating in modern times, should not fall on deaf
ears, not true? In Genesis 43:23 the servant of Joseph
was probably a Hebrew since they talked to him and he used their language to
talk to them “'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.” וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם לָכֶם אַל-תִּירָאוּ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וֵאלֹהֵי
אֲבִיכֶם נָתַן לָכֶם מַטְמוֹן בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵיכֶם—כַּסְפְּכֶם. They washed their feet in Genesis
43:24. The washing of His disciples feet by Christ in John 13 was not just a
cultural habit. It was an institution of a ceremony for Christians John 13:17
until the Second Coming and beyond. When Joseph came in, the dramatic
depictions of Moses cannot be missed. One is all imagination in this novelistic
history. It is a children story also for adults and researchers of history. You
cannot help but be in fascination by the corners and surprises the passion and
expectation. Moses was a very good writer as his winning epic Job also shows
written during the same time he hid from the street-woman Iset’s illegitimate
child, Thutmosis III, now full ruler after Hatshepsut’s death, in Midian in
1460 BCE. Joseph was to act a villain and
non-religious but when he saw Benjamin his passions overcame him and the Hebrew
honest religion of his heart dropped out of his mouth automatically: “God be
gracious unto you, my son” (Genesis 43:29). The brothers were slightly relieved
by this hearing since he was talking their language of the faithful not the
language of atheists and nihilists coupled with swearing and negativism and criticism
as a necessary forced ingredient in communication. “Even if something is right
you have to always differ because in a relativistic age there is no fixed
truths” they say. But Joseph forgot all that and truth poured out passed the
tears of his heart (Genesis 43:30). To see a loved one after many years is a
pleasant shocking experience and any human becomes moved. Joseph was so moved and happy to see
Benjamin that he did not realize that he was insisting five times that a
portion from before him be given to Benjamin, but someone was counting among
the brothers who had to relate to Jacob what had happened in detail and that
detail was recorded in sources used by Moses to write the book of Genesis. It
is not imagination but history.
Dear God Moses brought us also in tears of happiness
in this glad reunion. So be us when we meet You face to face for the heavenly
banquet. In Jesus Name. Amen.