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Sunday, August 16, 2026

Bible tale: Part 5 of 9 - Joseph (11th son of Jacob)

Part 5 of 9 - Joseph (11th son of Jacob)

Genesis 42

re-told by Debbie Dunn









Story highlights:

* His brothers didn't recognize governor was brother Joseph 

* Joseph accused his 10 older brothers of being spies

* Joseph ordered his brothers not to return to Egypt unless they brought young-Benjamin


Bible role-play begins:


Narrator #1: To catch you up, we are now into the 2nd year of a 7-year famine of no food and very little water for the land of Egypt.

 

 








Narrator #2: The famine had reached the surrounding countries, including Canaan, where Joseph's father and 11 brothers lived.


Narrator #1: Their father, Jacob, also known as Israel, had sent his 10 oldest boys to Egypt to buy some food.

 

Narrator #2: Little did the brothers guess that the 2nd-in-command of all of Egypt would be their younger brother Joseph, whom they had sold into slavery about 20 years before.


Narrator #1: Joseph would have been tough for them to recognize. After all, he was older. His name was different. His hairstyle and clothes were very different.

 

Narrator #2: Additionally, Joseph pretended that he could only speak Egyptian, and not their native language of Hebrew.


Narrator #1: Before revealing himself, he wanted to test their characters to see if they were kinder and more honest people than they had been.

 

Narrator #2: So, Joseph pretended not to believe their story. He even accused them of being spies.


Narrator #1: Joseph's ten older brothers exclaimed, "No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food. Your servants are honest men, not spies."

 

Narrator #2: Through an interpreter, Joseph demanded that unless he could see their youngest brother, Benjamin, with his own eyes, they must surely be spies.


Narrator #1: He put them in jail for three days. Finally, Joseph let all but one of them go to retrieve their youngest brother.

 

Narrator #2: In that way only could they prove that they were honest men and not spies.


Narrator #1: Joseph selected Simeon to remain behind in prison. Joseph then had all their sacks filled with plenty of grain.

 

Narrator #2: While waiting for the food, the 10 brothers talked among themselves.


Narrator #1: They determined this must be a punishment from God because years before, they had shown no mercy when they sold their younger brother into slavery.

 

Narrator #2: Joseph had to turn away so they could not see him weeping. When he got himself together, he had them watch Simeon being bound and put back in prison.


Narrator #1: Joseph told them, "Do not show your face to me ever again unless you come back with your youngest brother Benjamin. That is the only way I will believe you are honest men and not spies."

 

Narrator #2: In the meantime, Joseph had his servants load up their sacks with grain and hide the pouches of silver coins they had brought to pay for the grain in the bottom of each sack.


Narrator #1: Leaving Simeon behind, the nine brothers sadly loaded the grain onto their donkeys' backs. Then, they headed back to the land of Canaan.

 

Narrator #2: That evening, at the place where they planned to stay the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey.


Narrator #1: He called out, "Oh, no! Look! My pouch of silver coins is still in my sack. That Egyptian governor will believe we are thieves who stole the grain instead of buying it."

 

Narrator #2: Their hearts sank. They turned to each other, trembling. They said, "What is this that God has done to us?"


Narrator #1: When they came home to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan, they told him the long, sad story.

 

Narrator #2: When they unloaded their donkeys, they discovered that every sack was filled not only with grain but also with their pouches of silver coins.


Narrator #1: Their father and the nine brothers were badly frightened. Their father, Jacob, cried out.

 

Narrator #2: He said, "You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more. Simeon is no more. And now you want to take Benjamin as well. Everything is against me!"


Narrator #1: Then the oldest brother, Reuben, said to his father, "Father, you may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring Benjamin back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him and Simeon back."

 

Narrator #2: But Jacob said, "No. You will not go down there with my youngest son. I have already lost Joseph, and now I've lost Simeon. If I lost Benjamin, too, I would surely die of a broken heart."


Narrator #1: What will they all do when their sacks of grain are empty and they face starving to death?

 

Narrator #2: Will their father, Jacob, finally change his mind? Tune in next week to find out.


Narrator #1: END OF SKIT. Let's give our volunteers a great big hand!



Are you a Bible enthusiast or do you lead a Youth Group or Family Bible Study? To get a FREE PDF download of this story, click on this link below:


Free PDF download of Part 5 of 9 - Joseph (11th son of Jacob).


Do you want more stories about Joseph & his 11 brothers? If so, visit the 12 sons of Jacob chapter from my EXPLORE BIBLE STORY dot org website.


Click here to get more stories about Joseph & his 11 brothers.



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