We are in chapter 44 of Genesis with our word for today used twice in our chapter. תַּ֫חַת underneath, below, the under part, in place of, instead of, the post occupied or served by another. It is used 492 times in the Old Testament.
We see it of King’s reining in place of the previous one. 1 Chronicles 29:23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king תַּֽחַת in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 1 Kings 11:43 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned תַּחְתָּֽיו in his place. We also see priest’s serving in place of the previous one. Deuteronomy 10:6 There Aaron died, and there he was buried. And his son Eleazar ministered as priest תַּחְתָּֽיו in his place. 1 Kings 2:35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army תַּחְתָּ֖יו in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest תַּ֖חַת in the place of Abiathar. And the head of the army serving in place of the previous one. 2 Samuel 17:25 Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army תַּ֥חַת in place of Joab.
We see it used to put one’s life in place of another’s life in the sense of rescue. The spies sent by Joshua make an agreement with Ruth to save her life later when they take the city in exchange for her saving their lives now by hiding them from the King of Jericho. Joshua 2:14 “Our lives תַחְתֵּיכֶם֙ for your lives! the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”
This sense of a post occupied or served by another is how our word is used in our chapter today. Genesis 44:4 They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil תַּ֥חַת for good? The accusation is that since Joseph treated them in a good way goodness was expected but they put evil תַּ֥חַת in the place of good or instead of behaving in a good way they instead did this evil. Genesis 44:30-34 Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy's life, as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ Now therefore, please let your servant remain תַּ֣חַת instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.” As we have saw a few days ago Judah finally starts thinking of someone other than himself. He is willing to put his own life in place of his brother Benjamin’s. This is a great picture of what Jesus did for us. I’ll close with these amazing reminders of God’s love for us demonstrated in Jesus death in our place. Romans 5:8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Galatians 1:3-5 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
