NOTES for Gen 43:1-34
The main heroes of this chapter turn out to be not so much Joseph himself as his brothers. This is understandable, because this book must tell the reader about human relationships and about how divine Providence enters them. The whole chapter is built on parallels: the brothers must travel Joseph's path, discovering God for themselves just as he himself did. And now before them and before their father there arises a difficult choice: to take the risk, to set out on a dangerous journey to Egypt, or to stay home in a hungry land and lose yet another brother forever. And they choose hope - hope in God, who must fulfill His promise and make them into a great people (after all, the whole narrative is included in the context of the story of Abraham and his covenant). As in every good novel, one that resembles real life, all the participants in the action are tested: Joseph, his family, and the reader himself...