Genesis 43:8

Benjamin was not a boy. He was more than 22 years of age. This is how we know that.

• Benjamin was born before Joseph went to Egypt.

• Joseph was in Egypt for 13 years before he met *Pharaoh. (See Genesis 37:2, ‘Joseph was 17 years of age’ and see Genesis 41:46, ‘Joseph was 30 years of age’.)

• After Joseph met *Pharaoh there were 7 years of plenty.

• The *famine had already lasted 2 years. (See Genesis 45:6.)

• The total of 13 and 7 and 2 is 22.

But Benjamin was the youngest brother. Also, he was Jacob’s favourite son. So Judah called him ‘the boy’.