Ch. XLII.—Joseph's Brethren come to Egypt to buy Food (E, J)
One thing is still wanting to the dramatic completeness of the story of Joseph: the recognition of his greatness by his family, or (in E) the fulfilment of his youthful dreams. This is the theme of the second part of the history (chs. 42-45), where the writers tax their inventiveness to the utmost in retarding the dénouement of the plot. Two visits to Egypt, and not fewer than four interviews with Joseph, are needed to prepare for the final reconciliation; and the hearers' attention is all the while kept on the stretch by the surprising expedients adopted by Joseph to protract the suspense and excite the compunction of his brethren.—In ch. 42 we are told how the ten brothers are brought to Egypt by stress of famine (1-4), are recognised by Joseph, and denounced and imprisoned as spies (5-17); and how after three days' confinement they are sent home, leaving Simeon behind them as a hostage (18-28). Arrived in Canaan, they relate their adventure to Jacob, who bitterly complains of the loss of two children, and refuses to trust Benjamin to their charge (29-38). The incident of the money found in the sacks (25. 27f. 35) increases the dread with which they contemplate a return to Egypt.
Analysis.—Ch. 42 belongs a potiori to E, and 43. 44 to J (We. Comp.2
58 ff.). A distinct difference of representation appears from a comparison
of 4229-37 (which, pace Procksch, is an undiluted excerpt from E) with
433-7 4419-23 (J). "In ch. 42, Joseph secures, by the detention of Simeon,
that the brethren shall return under any circumstances, with Benjamin
or without; in ch. 43 f., on the contrary, he forbids them to return unless
Benjamin is with them" (We.). In J, moreover, the brethren do not
volunteer the information that they have a younger brother, but it is
drawn out of them by searching questions. It is certain (from doublets
and phraseology) that both J and E are represented in 421-14; though
the former is so fragmentary that it is difficult to reconstruct a narrative
consistent with 433ff. 4419ff.. Apparently, the colloquy reproduced in 437
4420-23 433 must have followed the acknowledgment that they were all
one man's sons (11a 13a E),—a view which seems to fit in with all the
literary indications. E's account can easily be traced with the help of
29-37: it includes the charge of espionage (9. 11. 14. 16. 30), the imprisonment
(17. 30), the detention of Simeon (19. 24. 33f.), the command to bring down
Benjamin (16. 20. 34), and the putting of the money in the sacks (25. 35).—In
