Jacob’s Sons Buy Grain in Egypt: The scene shifts to Canaan, where Jacob’s family feels the full brunt of the famine. Their hope for survival rests on the availability of grain in Egypt. Therefore Jacob sends his sons to Egypt (vv. 1–4); the brothers negotiate with Joseph (vv. 5–25) and then return to Canaan (vv. 26–38).

42:1–4 To cope with the crisis of the famine the mournful Jacob reasserted his leadership. Having learned that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob called his sons together, scolded them for inaction, and instructed them to go down to Egypt to buy grain so that they might live. Ten of his sons went to Egypt; they are identified as Joseph’s brothers to build the anticipation of their meeting Joseph. Jacob did not let Benjamin, the younger son of Rachel, go along because he feared…