Genesis 43

Joseph does such a good job of keeping up the pretense that he does not know the sons of Israel, and credit must be given where it is due. I especially like the small touches like seating them in order of age when dining - little things to mess with his brothers' heads :)

I wonder how long they left their brother Simeon in the prisons of Egypt? Judah indicated in verse 10 that they could have made the round trip to Egypt twice, so unless he was exaggerating then it must have been a fair length of time. I wonder if Simeon thought they had abandoned him, or if he would not have expected them to return because of Jacob's protective attitude toward his youngest son (Benjamin)? So many interesting questions...

Genesis 35

In today's reading we once more have an affirmation of the covenant between God and Abraham's descendants, along with a second proclamation that Jacob's name shall be changed to Israel (the first was when he wrestled with God). Prior to this Jacob/Israel instructed his family and followers to dispose of all the old idols and pagan symbols they had, which he buried; I guess Laban never got his 'household gods' back!

There is also a lot of death in this chapter: Rachel's nurse, then Rachel in childbirth, and finally Isaac at a good old age. Poor Israel - Rachel was the woman he fell in love with, and yet she was the first of his wives/concubines to die. It definitely explains why Benjamin, the son she had as she passed away, became his favorite: he was his last memory of her, and also his youngest son.