His brothers, the very ones who sold him into slavery years ago, bow before him, desperate for grain. They don't recognize the beardless youth they betrayed in this imposing figure. But Joseph? He knows them instantly.
According to Legends of the Jews, Joseph initially wants to reveal himself. But then, an angel – the very one who guided him to his brothers in Dothan long ago – appears and reminds him of their murderous intent. Talk about a complicated reunion!
Now, we find in Midrash Rabbah and other sources that angels often play complex roles in these stories, acting as messengers, testers, and sometimes, even instigators. In this case, the angel's warning throws a wrench into Joseph's plans. He decides to test his brothers, to see if they've truly changed.
He accuses them of being spies. "By this magic cup," he declares, referring to a divining cup, "I know your secrets!" Of course, it's all a ruse. But it throws his brothers into a panic.
They protest, "We are honest men! Sons of one father!" They even mention their younger brother, still at home with their father Jacob, and the brother who is lost. Unknowingly, they include Joseph himself in that count.
Joseph presses them, pointing out their suspicious behavior. Why did they enter the city separately? Why have they lingered so long? Why were they seen in the… less reputable parts of town?
Their explanation is desperate: they were searching for their lost brother, fearing he might have been sold into slavery and forced into a life of shame. It’s a flimsy excuse, dripping with irony. "We heard that some Ishmaelites stole our brother, and sold him into slavery in Egypt," they say, "and as our brother was exceeding fair in form and face, we thought he might have been sold for illicit uses…"
Joseph, still testing them, scoffs at their claim to be sons of Abraham. He demands they prove their innocence by sending one of them back to Canaan to fetch their youngest brother, Benjamin.
The brothers refuse, and Joseph throws them into prison for three days. The text tells us that God never allows the pious to languish in distress longer than three days, a reminder of divine providence even in these fraught circumstances.
On the third day, Joseph releases them, but with a condition: one of them must remain behind as a hostage. He chooses Simon. Why Simon? Because, according to Ginzberg, Simon was one of the brothers who advocated for Joseph's death. Levi was the other, but Joseph feared leaving both of them behind, lest they unleash their wrath upon Egypt as they did in Shechem. He also resents Simon for having actually lowered Joseph into the pit.
As the brothers prepare to leave, Simon cries out, "Ye desire to do with me as ye did with Joseph!" The other brothers can only lament their predicament.
But getting Simon into custody is no easy task. When Joseph's men try to arrest him, Simon lets out a mighty roar, and they all fall to the ground, teeth knocked out! Only Joseph and his son Manasseh remain standing. Manasseh subdues Simon, binding him and taking him to prison.
Joseph secretly instructs his staff to treat Simon well, providing him with good food and kindness. It's a glimmer of mercy amidst the deception.
As the remaining brothers journey home, they discover the money they paid for the grain has been mysteriously returned to their sacks. They are terrified. “Where, then, is the lovingkindness of God toward our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?” they cry.
Reuben and Judah remind them that this is likely divine retribution for their cruelty towards Joseph. They recognize, perhaps for the first time, the gravity of their sin.
When they arrive home, they tell Jacob everything. He is devastated, especially at the thought of losing Benjamin. He accuses them of plotting against him, lamenting, “Me have ye bereaved of my children.” He refuses to let Benjamin go back to Egypt, convinced it will lead to his death.
Jacob's words reveal his deep-seated suspicion of his sons. He believes they were responsible for Joseph's disappearance and now, Simon's imprisonment. His grief is compounded by the fear that he will never see the fulfillment of God's promise to make him the father of twelve tribes.
And so, the stage is set for the next chapter of this incredible story. Will Jacob relent and allow Benjamin to go to Egypt? Will Joseph finally reveal himself to his brothers? And, perhaps most importantly, can this fractured family ever truly be whole again? It leaves you pondering the long reach of past actions and the difficult path to forgiveness and reconciliation.