Genesis 42:1-4- Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
Jacob sent his ten oldest sons to Egypt to buy corn, but he kept Jospeh's brother at home because he was afraid something would happen to him.
Genesis 42:5-8- And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Why do you think Joseph did this? Perhaps it was because he was still upset with them and seeing his brothers brought back the awful feelings he went through. Maybe it was because he wanted to see if they had changed. We don't know. What we do know is that Joseph knew who they were, but the didn't know who Joseph was.
Genesis 42:9-13- And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
Joseph listened to their story. I'm sure he was happy to hear that his father was still alive. But he really wanted to see his brother, Benjamin.
Genesis 42:14-17- And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. 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.
Joseph placed the boys in prison for three days, probably so they would know he was serious. But, he knew that the famine was bad and that people needed the corn- he knew his father and brother needed the corn.
Genesis 42:18-20- 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 told them that he would keep one of them in prison until they returned with Benjamin. The brothers started to talk among themselves in front of Jospeh.
Genesis 42:21-23- And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
They started saying that all this bad stuff was happening because of what they did to Joseph. They didn't know that Joseph could understand them.
Genesis 42:24-26- And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
Was Jospeh crying because they seemed sorry for their plot? Or was he crying because they knew what they had done to him was wrong?
I don't know. But, Joseph wasn't ready to let them know that he knew who they were.
He tied Simeon up in front of them and sent him to prison. Then he gave them corn and sent them on their way.
