Lesson 6
Read Genesis 42:1-28 - https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.42.esv
- Discernment – the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong
- Observance – the action of watching or noticing something
- Thoroughness – complete in all respects

When Joseph’s father Jacob heard Egypt had food to sell, he asked his sons to go to Egypt and buy some grain so they wouldn’t die from starvation. Ten of Jacob’s brothers went to Egypt, all those who were older than Joseph. The youngest brother stayed home – Jacob was afraid something would happen to him as had happened to Joseph.

The brothers treated Joseph with honor, bowing to him, not realizing he was their brother. Joseph, very observant, recognized his brothers instantly, but he treated them as strangers and demanded to know where they were from.

“We’ve come from Canaan to buy food,” the brothers answered. Joseph accused them of being spies. His brothers protested they were honest men and would never think of spying in Egypt – they told him they were all the sons of the same father, the youngest was back in Canaan with their father, and one was no more.

Joseph answered, “No, you’re spies! I know you’ve come to look for Egypt’s weak areas. I’ll test you to discern if you’re telling the truth. You’re not going to leave Egypt until your younger brother comes. One of you will need to go get your brother, and the rest will stay in Egypt in jail. We’ll find out for sure if you’re telling the truth, but as Pharaoh lives, I know you’re spies.” Then Joseph ordered all ten brothers be thrown into jail for three days.

After the three days, they were brought before Joseph again. They started talking to each other. “See? Now we’re paying for what we did to our brother – remember how terrified he was down in the well, begging us for mercy? We ignored him, and now we’re the ones in big trouble.”

Joseph had been using an interpreter, so his brothers didn’t know Joseph could understand their language. He turned his head from them and wept when he heard what they were saying. He cleared his throat after he regained his composure and ordered Simeon be tied up. The brothers all watched as he was made a prisoner.

Then Joseph, again using his gift of thoroughness, ordered his servants to fill their sacks with grain and put their money back in each sack. And he ordered food for them for their journey back. They loaded their donkeys and left for Canaan and their father.

When they stopped that night, one of the brothers opened his sack to get grain for his donkey, and noticed his money in the mouth of his bag. He told his brothers, and they were all confused, and frightened they’d get into trouble. “What’s God doing?” they asked each other.

Apply God’s Word to your life:
*If God has given you the gift of discernment, how have you used this gift to discern spiritual truth from error?
*When could exercising the trait of observance be especially valuable?
*What have you done recently to show you are a thorough person?