Knowing The Word in Genesis 42:1-5, Joseph's Brothers Head to Egypt

[For 20 years Jacob has been mourning in Canaan over the loss of Joseph, while Joseph has risen to the position of vizier in Egypt and claims that “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” Joseph’s life in Egypt has been told in three acts: his rise to power in Potiphar’s house, his rise to power in prison, and his rise to power to be vizier of Egypt. This sets the scene to bring Jacob back into the picture as a major actor. The next section of Genesis consists of three acts as well: the journey to Egypt by Joseph’s hated older brothers (42), another journey that includes Benjamin (43-45), and finally the journey by all his brothers and his father (46), with each one more momentous and emotional for Joseph.]

1 When Jacob [unmentioned since 37] learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt [famine in Canaan is presupposed], he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another? [you indecisive procrastinators!]” 2 And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. [Why so many?] 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him. [What does this tell us about Jacob?] 5 Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came [there is nothing special about them, just another group of Semites], for the famine was in the land of Canaan [now we know].