Lesson 7
Read Genesis 42:29 - 43:14a - https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.43.esv
- Prudence – careful or wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense; shrewdness in the management of affairs
- Persuasiveness – having the power to induce action or belief

When they arrived home, they told their father Jacob all that had happened. “The man who runs Egypt accused us of being spies. We told him we were honest and not spies, and there were twelve sons all of one father – one is gone and the youngest is with our father. The man in charge told us to leave one of our brothers with him in prison and to return to our hungry families with the food we bought. Then we have to bring Benjamin back to prove we’re honest and not spies, and to get Simeon out of prison.”

Next they emptied their food sacks, and each brother found his purse of money in his sack. This made their father upset along with the brothers. Jacob wailed, “You’re taking everything away from me! Joseph’s no more, Simeon’s in an Egyptian prison, and now you want to take Benjamin to Egypt. I’ll be left with no one!”

Their oldest brother Reuben said, “You can take my two sons, and if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you, you can kill my sons. Trust me – I’ll bring Benjamin back safely.” But Jacob refused his offer, saying Benjamin would never go to Egypt. His brother was dead, and Benjamin was the only other son from their mother who was still alive. “If something bad happens to Benjamin, it will kill me,” Jacob sighed.

The famine only got worse. They had eaten everything they had bought in Egypt, so their father told them to go back and get more. Judah reminded him the man wouldn’t sell them any food unless they brought their youngest brother with them to prove they weren’t spies. So it would be a wasted trip to go down to Egypt without Benjamin.

Jacob asked, “Why did you even tell him you had a younger brother?” They explained about the man asking them pointed questions and pressing them for more information, and they had no idea he was going to demand they bring their youngest brother to Egypt.

Judah promised to take charge of Benjamin, taking full responsibility for him, and reminded their father if they didn’t get going, their whole family would starve. “We could have gone down to Egypt and back again twice in all this time,” Judah said. God gave him prudence and wisdom to speak persuasively to his fearful father Jacob.

Jacob finally gave in. He told them to take the finest products of their land as gifts for the man – balm, honey, spices, perfumes, pistachios and almonds. And they were to pay back double for the money returned in their sacks, which might have been a mistake. “Take Benjamin and be on your way, Jacob admonished. Then he prayed, “May the Almighty God give you grace and send both your brothers back to me.”

Apply God’s Word to your life:
*In what areas or activities of your life could God use prudence to glorify His name through you?
*How does God use the character trait of persuasiveness in His children to further His kingdom?