Genesis 43 covers the famine that continued to ravage the land of Canaan, forcing Jacob's family to consider another journey to Egypt for grain. When their supplies ran low, Jacob instructed his sons to return to Egypt to buy more food. However, Judah reminded his father that the Egyptian official (whom they didn't know was Joseph) had sternly warned them not to return without their youngest brother Benjamin.
Jacob initially resisted sending Benjamin, expressing his fear of losing another beloved son after already mourning Joseph's apparent death. Judah stepped forward and offered to personally guarantee Benjamin's safety, pledging his own life as surety for his brother's return. He argued that, if they hadn’t waited, they could’ve made the trip twice already. Faced with the reality of starvation, Jacob reluctantly agreed to let Benjamin go.
Before their departure, Jacob instructed his sons to take gifts for the Egyptian ruler. He also told them to take double the money, both to pay for the new grain and to return the money that had mysteriously appeared in their sacks after their previous trip. Jacob believed this might have been an oversight that could be corrected.
When the brothers arrived in Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph saw them and instructed his steward to bring them to his house for a meal. This frightened the brothers, who assumed they were being brought to Joseph's house because of the money found in their sacks. They feared they would be accused of theft and enslaved. At the entrance to Joseph's house, they approached the steward and explained about the money, insisting they had brought it back along with additional money for more grain.
The steward reassured them, telling them not to fear and that their God must have put treasure in their sacks, as he had received their payment. He then brought their brother Simeon out to them; he had been held as a guarantee since their previous visit. As they prepared for the noon meal with Joseph, the brothers were given water to wash their feet, and their donkeys were fed.
When Joseph came home, the brothers presented their gifts and bowed down before him, again fulfilling the dreams Joseph had shared with them years earlier. Joseph asked about their welfare and specifically inquired about their elderly father. When he saw Benjamin, his youngest brother, Joseph was overcome with emotion but managed to control himself for a moment. He asked if this was their youngest brother and blessed Benjamin — and then quickly left the room to weep privately.
After composing himself, Joseph returned and ordered the meal to be served. The Egyptians ate separately from the Hebrews due to cultural customs, and Joseph ate alone because of his high position. The brothers were seated in order of their ages, from oldest to youngest, which amazed them since they couldn't understand how this Egyptian official would know their birth order. Joseph sent portions from his table to his brothers, and Benjamin received five times as much as the others. Despite their initial fears, the brothers enjoyed their meal and the time with Joseph, not yet realizing they were dining with their long-lost brother.
