Genesis 43:11-14 KJV
And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
I like what John Gill says concerning vs. 14 and Jacob's statement "If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." Gill writes, "this he said, not as utterly despairing of their return, but as expressive of his patient submission to the divine will be it as it may be."
I read it the same way this morning. The return was necessary,
Because Simeon was still there
Because food was necessary for survival
So Jacob did what he could to ensure that his sons were well treated when they returned to Egypt.
He then prayed God's mercy to be upon then and entrusted them to the care of the Lord.
God's will for us is often not as we had planned. There are some somber notes in the composition of life. But we may trust the Lord that when the symphony is complete, the production as a whole will be good.
Jacob may not have learned "patient submission" easily or quickly. So it is with many if not most of us. But May God grant that we do learn it.
And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
I like what John Gill says concerning vs. 14 and Jacob's statement "If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." Gill writes, "this he said, not as utterly despairing of their return, but as expressive of his patient submission to the divine will be it as it may be."
I read it the same way this morning. The return was necessary,
Because Simeon was still there
Because food was necessary for survival
So Jacob did what he could to ensure that his sons were well treated when they returned to Egypt.
He then prayed God's mercy to be upon then and entrusted them to the care of the Lord.
God's will for us is often not as we had planned. There are some somber notes in the composition of life. But we may trust the Lord that when the symphony is complete, the production as a whole will be good.
Jacob may not have learned "patient submission" easily or quickly. So it is with many if not most of us. But May God grant that we do learn it.
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