What emotions might the brothers have felt finding "bags of money" in Genesis 42:35? Setting the scene Joseph’s brothers have returned from Egypt with grain. Unknown to them, Joseph has secretly ordered their payment to be returned. Earlier, one brother discovered money at a night stop (Genesis 42:27–28), alarming all of them. Now, before their father Jacob, every sack reveals a bag of silver (Genesis 42:35: “As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed.”). Observing the text • “Each man’s sack”: no exception—every brother is implicated. • “Bag of silver”: the very payment they had just surrendered in Egypt. • “They were dismayed”: the Hebrew points to being shaken, unnerved, overwhelmed. Possible emotions experienced • Shock – the unexpected discovery jolted them. • Fear – potential accusation of theft by the Egyptian governor. • Guilt – memory of their unresolved sin against Joseph (Genesis 42:21–22). • Anxiety – uncertainty about Simeon’s fate and the required return trip with Benjamin. • Helplessness – no human solution seemed available. • Conviction – sensing God’s hand exposing their past (Genesis 42:28: “What is this that God has done to us?”). • Dread – anticipating severe consequences if they returned. • Shame – facing Jacob with evidence that could dishonor the family. Reasons behind each emotion • Shock: the silver’s presence contradicted their careful payment. • Fear: Egyptian justice was swift; they could be branded robbers (Genesis 44:3–15 later shows this fear realized). • Guilt: selling Joseph for silver (Genesis 37:26–28) made the sight of silver a stinging reminder. • Anxiety: Simeon remained in custody; Benjamin would now be demanded. • Helplessness: famine left them dependent on Egypt; refusal to return was not an option. • Conviction: Proverbs 28:1—“The wicked flee when no one pursues”—captures their inward flight. • Dread: they foresaw compounded trouble—loss of Simeon, possible loss of Benjamin, and their father’s grief (Genesis 42:38). • Shame: Psalm 32:3–4 describes the heavy hand of guilt draining vitality; their silence before Jacob mirrored that weight. Scriptural echoes and insights • Genesis 42:27–28 paints the first wave of fear, reaffirmed here. • Numbers 32:23: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” The hidden money surfaced their hidden sin. • Isaiah 55:8–9 shows God’s thoughts higher than man’s—Joseph’s gracious act felt ominous to them, yet it was part of God’s saving plan. • Romans 2:4 reminds that God’s kindness leads to repentance; the returned silver, though alarming, was kindness setting up reconciliation. Personal takeaways • God sometimes arranges startling events to awaken conscience. • Unconfessed sin magnifies ordinary circumstances into paralyzing fear. • What feels like judgment can actually be divine mercy steering hearts toward repentance and restoration. |
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