Genesis 42:16-20 "Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days. And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so."
Joseph had not yet revealed himself to his brothers. Instead, he set them a task by which they would be proved (examined). He told them to choose one brother to go and bring the youngest brother to him. In the meantime, the remaining nine brothers would be kept in prison.
For three days, the brothers remained in prison together, but on the third day Joseph relented to a degree. Perhaps he had thought of the distress this would cause his father, Israel, and so moderated his position. The ultimate reason for his decision was his reverence for God. To ease his brothers’ anxiety, he said he would keep only one of them in prison. The others he released to carry corn back home to keep everyone from starving. Still, he did not relent on his insistence that the youngest brother be brought before him.
Joseph knew who these ten men were, and he knew what they had done. He knew that the words concerning their family was true. He set this challenge before them so they might deeply consider their claim to be men of honesty and integrity. He intended that they should spend some time examining themselves. Even though he only kept one physically in prison, they were all still in bondage to Joseph’s requirements.
Even when we think we have hidden things from the LORD, He knows who we are. He knows if we are “true men.” Our bondage is not so that He might know who we are. Rather, it is so that we might examine ourselves and realize who we are. As we will see later, this self-reflection caused them to confess to one another what manner of men they had been.
May Jesus hold us in servitude to Him, that we might confess who we are in our old nature. May we be blessed to see and rejoice that, in spite of this, He sends corn that our families might not be overwhelmed with famine. May we, like Him, reverence God. And may we bring to Him whatever He requires of us to serve Him and prove ourselves true servants.