Genesis 42:19

Joseph had changed his plans since he last spoke to his brothers. Then, he said that only one should return to *Canaan. (See verse 16.) But he decided that 9 should return. There were several reasons for this.

• One brother could not carry enough grain to *Canaan.

• Jacob would be more likely to send Benjamin if 9 sons persuaded him.

• Jacob might think that he had lost 9 more of his sons. That would be a great shock to him.

• The brothers had sent away one brother, Joseph, 20 years before. So Joseph took away one more brother. That was a suitable punishment.

v21 Then they spoke to each other. They said, ‘Truly we are guilty for what we did to our brother, Joseph. We saw his great fear. He appealed to us and we refused to listen. Therefore this trouble has come on us.’ v22 And Reuben answered them, ‘I told you not to hurt the boy. But you did not listen to me. So now this is a punishment for his death.’ v23 They did not know that Joseph understood them. When they spoke to Joseph, somebody interpreted their words into the Egyptian language. v24 Joseph turned away from them and he wept. Then he returned to them and he spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them. He bound Simeon while they watched him.