Genesis 42:28
He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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When the brothers discover their money returned, their fear doesn't immediately point to Joseph's manipulation, but to a divine hand orchestrating their downfall. This reveals how their deep-seated guilt, stemming from their sin against Joseph, projected onto God, making them interpret even an act of kindness as divine judgment.
As the brothers prepare to leave Egypt with their newly purchased grain, one of them discovers that the money he used to pay for his portion is still in his sack. This shocking find causes immediate panic and fear among them, as they interpret it as a sign from God, convinced their past sin against Joseph is now catching up with them. They are terrified, not suspecting Joseph's involvement, but fearing a divine judgment they cannot comprehend.
Suddenly, their money is back in their sacks, and panic sets in. What does this strange event reveal about their inner state?
When the money is discovered returned in their sacks, the brothers don't just feel surprised; they are gripped by fear.
A Trembling Heart
Their reaction, described as their "hearts failed them" or "went out," signifies a profound loss of courage and a feeling of dread. This isn't just about a financial anomaly; it's about a deep-seated fear that surfaces when something unusual happens.
The Shadow of Sin
They immediately turn to each other, not to rationally investigate, but to vocalize a shared terror: "What is this that God has done to us?" This cry reveals their guilty consciences. They've been carrying the secret of their sin against Joseph for years, and any unsettling event, like finding their money returned, triggers a cascade of fear. They interpret this as divine retribution, a sign that God is actively intervening because of their past actions. Their fear isn't just of being accused of theft, but of a divine judgment they feel they deserve.
Amidst their panic, the brothers cry out, "What is this that God has done to us?" This question, though born of fear, touches upon a profound truth about God's involvement in their lives.
The brothers' desperate question, "What is this that God has done to us?" is significant. While they are blinded by fear and guilt, they correctly identify that a higher power is at work.
Recognizing God's Hand
Despite their internal turmoil and suspicion of human trickery, they conclude that God is the ultimate orchestrator. They don't attribute this event to chance or mere human planning. Even though Joseph is the instrument, their realization points beyond him to God's overarching providence.
A Purposeful Plan
Calvin notes that this entire history serves as a powerful illustration of God's hidden but purposeful methods. Even when events seem chaotic or even punitive, they are part of a divine plan. For the brothers, this moment is not just about their money being returned; it's a divine appointment, a 'severe trouble' designed to awaken their consciences and move them toward repentance and reconciliation.
Understand the original words
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The seat of human emotions, intellect, and will. Biblically, the heart is considered the control center of a person's moral life; "failing" indicates extreme shock, loss of courage, or existential terror.
charad · Hebrew Verb/Adjective
A state of physical or emotional agitation caused by fear, awe, or overwhelming anxiety. It often characterizes the human reaction to the perceived intervention of God or a powerful authority.
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
The Creator, Sustainer, and Judge of the universe. In this context, it reflects the brothers' recognition that their circumstances—even those they do not understand—are governed by Divine providence.
This moment of finding their money returned sparks intense fear and self-recrimination in the brothers. Their guilt over selling Joseph, buried for years, erupts as they grapple with this strange turn of events, seeing God's hand in it as a consequence of their past sin.
c. 1750 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph, son of Jacob, is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt.
c. 1730 BC
Joseph becomes ruler of Egypt
After years of hardship and rising through the ranks, Joseph becomes the second-in-command over all of Egypt.
c. 1710 BC
Famine strikes Canaan and Egypt
A severe famine grips the land, forcing Jacob to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain.
c. 1710 BC
Brothers arrive in Egypt seeking food
Jacob's sons, not recognizing Joseph in his Egyptian attire, come before him to purchase grain.
c. 1710 BC
Joseph tests his brothers
This passage describes Joseph's clever plan to use his silver cup to trap Benjamin, leading to Judah's profound plea and demonstrating the brothers' transformation and willingness to sacrifice for each other.
Job 7:18Job expresses a similar sense of existential dread and divine scrutiny, questioning God's constant attention and judgment, mirroring the brothers' feeling of being under a divine microscope.
Psalms 38:3-4This psalm reflects the deep distress and fear that comes from a consciousness of sin, where the psalmist feels God's arrows and the overwhelming weight of iniquity, much like the brothers' fear stemmed from their guilt.
Luke 12:48Jesus teaches that much will be required of those to whom much is given, and much more will be asked of him to whom much was entrusted. This resonates with the brothers' fear that their past sin had brought a significant reckoning upon them.
1 Peter 4:7Peter urges believers to be self-controlled and alert to prayer, reminding us that the end of all things is near. This echoes the brothers' sudden fear and realization that their current predicament might be a divine intervention.
calvinGenesis 42:1-38: "Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?"
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
Et vidit Joseph fratres suos, et agnovit eos, et alienum se ostendit eis: locutusque est cum eis dura, et dixit eis, Unde venistis? Et dixerunt, De terra Chenaan…
clarkeGenesis 42:28: "And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?"
Their heart failed them - ויצא לבם valyetse libbam, their heart went out. This refers to that spasmodic affection which is felt in the breast at any sudden alarm or fright. Among the common people in our own country we find an expression exactly similar, "My heart was ready to lea…
When the brothers discover their money returned, their fear doesn't immediately point to Joseph's manipulation, but to a divine hand orchestrating their downfall. This reveals how their deep-seated guilt, stemming from their sin against Joseph, projected onto God, making them interpret even an act of kindness as divine judgment.
As the brothers prepare to leave Egypt with their newly purchased grain, one of them discovers that the money he used to pay for his portion is still in his sack. This shocking find causes immediate panic and fear among them, as they interpret it as a sign from God, convinced their past sin against Joseph is now catching up with them. They are terrified, not suspecting Joseph's involvement, but fearing a divine judgment they cannot comprehend.
As the brothers prepare to leave Egypt with their newly purchased grain, one of them discovers that the money he used to pay for his portion is still in his sack. This shocking find causes immediate panic and fear among them, as they interpret it as a sign from God, convinced their past sin against Joseph is now catching up with them. They are terrified, not suspecting Joseph's involvement, but fearing a divine judgment they cannot comprehend.
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Joseph, disguised as an Egyptian official, accuses his brothers of spying and imprisons them.
c. 1710 BC— this verse
Money returned in sacks
As a test, Joseph has his brothers' sacks filled with grain, their money secretly returned within the sacks, and sends them home, keeping Simeon as a hostage.
"He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”" — When the brothers discover their money returned, their fear doesn't immediately point to Joseph's manipulation, but to a divine hand orchestrating their downfall. This reveals how their deep-seated g…
