Genesis continues:   Genesis 44   Joseph commands his steward to fill the men’s sacks with food and put each man’s money in the sacks with the food.  He also had the steward put his own cup in Benjamin’s sack.  In the morning, the brothers were sent back toward Canaan.   The next morning Joseph pretended to discover his cup was gone.  And sent his people after the brothers.  The steward overtook the brothers and accused them of taking the cup saying the man who stole it will be put to death.  The sacks are searched and the cup is found in Benjamin’s sack.  The brothers return to the house of Joseph.  Judah spoke for the brothers and pled for Benjamin telling Joseph how precious Benjamin, the child of their father’s old age, was to Jacob.  Judah offered himself in the place of Benjamin.  Commentary Judah has pled with Jacob for Benjamin’s life.  “Judah’s faithful cleaving to Benjamin, now, in his distress, was recompensed long afterwards by the tribe of Benjamin keeping with the tribe of Judah, when the other tribes deserted it… Jesus, the great antitype of Joseph, humbles and proves his people…(and) He brings their sins to their remembrance, that they may exercise and show repentance, and feel how much they owe to his mercy.”  Matthew Henry, p. 65   In 1 Kings 12, after Solomon’s death, the kingdom was divided and threatened with civil war.  The people separate into the Kingdom of Judah and and the Kingdom of Israel with Judah being the Southern kingdom and Israel being the Northern kingdom.  Only the tribe of Benjamin remained faithful to Judah..  And, under Rehoboam, the southern kingdom stays relatively faithful to God while the other tribes to the north chose to follow other gods.        Genesis 45   Joseph had sent the Egyptians away and identified himself privately to his brothers.  Joseph asked about his father Jacob.  His brothers were concerned and afraid for they well remembered how they had treated Joseph.  Joseph said:  “And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 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.”  Gen 45:7-8 KJV  (see Matthew 1:21)  Joseph forgave his brothers.  See Luke 23:34   Joseph told his brothers to go to their father and tell him the good news, that Joseph was still alive and that God had put him in charge of all Egypt.  Joseph’s family will live in Goshen, in Egypt, while the famine lasts and longer.  Joseph asked that his brothers tell his father of his “glory” in Egypt.  Pharaoh was pleased that Joseph’s family was in Egypt and commanded them to take wagons and transport all of their family to his land.  The brothers returned to Canaan and told Jacob his son Joseph was still alive.  ”And Israel said, It is enough!  Joseph my son is still alive.  I will go and see him before I die.”  Gen 45:28 Amp Like Jesus, Joseph had been sent ahead to prepare a place for his people.    “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”  Jesus of Nazareth, John 14:1-4   Genesis 46   Israel made a sacrifice to God and began the journey to Egypt.  God appeared to Jacob in a vision and promised to make of him a great nation.  God told him he would go to Egypt with Israel and surely bring them back again.  And God promised Jacob his son Joseph would close his eyes.  They took their cattle and all that they owned.  The descendents are named and there are 70 persons (Vs. 27), not counting the wives of Jacob’s son, who start out for Egypt.  We note that Er and Onan, sons of Judah, died in Canaan and this is clarified in chapter 46. Commentary “We have here a particular account of Jacob’s family.  Though the fulfilling of promises is always sure, yet it is often slow.  It was now 215 years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, ch. 12:2; yet that branch of his seed, to which the promise was made sure, had only increased to seventy, of whom this particular account is kept, to show the power of God in making these seventy become a vast multitude.”  Matthew Henry, p. 67. Joseph took his chariot and went to meet Israel in Land of Goshen.  They meet in Goshen and are both very happy with their reunion after   Joseph had been 17 when he was sold into slavery by his brothers.  Joseph was now 39 years.    Joseph spoke to Jacob about how to talk with Pharaoh about their occupation.  They are instructed to say they are keepers of livestock because every “shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. Vs. 34. Commentary “An honest calling is no disgrace, nor ought we to account it so, but rather reckon it a shame to be idle, or have nothing to do.  It is generally best for people to abide in the callings they have been bred to and used to.” Matthew Henry, pp. 67-68  Genesis 47-48

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