The Bible Edge
Genesis 43:23
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.
When Joseph told his brothers “I had your money” he was speaking about Simeon, the second son of Jacob by Leah. This is the back story.
There was a famine in the land and Jacob told his sons to go to Egypt to buy some corn. By this time Joseph was in Egypt and was second in command to the Pharaoh. Remember, Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him, but, at the urging of Reuben they just threw him in a pit. From there, years later, Joseph is in Egypt over all the stores of corn. Now his brothers show up to buy some of that corn. Through questioning Joseph learned that his brother Benjamin was alive and with their father. Benjamin was the youngest of Jacob’s twelve sons and the full brother to Joseph. Their mother was Rachel who died upon the birth of Benjamin.
During this trip to Egypt, Joseph did not let his brothers know that it was him, but at the end of their stay he took Simeon, bound him, and told his brothers that unless they returned with their youngest brother that Simeon would not be released. Upon returning home they found that all the money they had paid for the corn was in their sacks. But the famine continued, and they needed more corn. So, after much consternation and discussion it was decided to go to Egypt again and this time take Benjamin. When the men told Joseph of the money that was still in their bags after they left the first time Joseph uttered those immortal words, “I had your money.”
At least for Joseph, Simeon was money. He was surety that the sons of Jacob, including Benjamin would return to Egypt. There are some things that are equal to and greater than money. People are one of these things, especially family.
Today we have a surety, just like Simeon, but greater. Hebrews 7:22 proves it; By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. Jesus is your money.
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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