Down To Egypt
The drought had swept throughout the land
But under Pharoah’s dream-led reign
Joseph foresaw, provisions planned
So Jacob sent his sons for grain
And down to Egypt, down they went
But youngest Benjamin remained
Then Joseph, hearing they’d been sent
Then called them for an audience
They came before him, bowed and bent
They had not seen him those years since
Did not discern who he was now
Then Joseph pressed, became intense.
“You come before me and you bow,
Yet you are here to spy my land!”
Then quick were they to disavow,
“We’re brothers, honest to a man
And only here in search of food
With humble posture, outstretched hand.”
The spy charge, Joseph still pursued;
He would not let them off the hook,
And so he struck a bargain shrewd
“Upon your youngest must I look
While one retrieves him, all remain.”
And then he locked them up like crooks.
Once three days passed, he made it plain:
“Do this and live, for I fear God.
One will stay here, the rest take grain,
But I will know you are all frauds
Unless with youngest you return.”
Then signaled captors with a nod.
Their shame and guilt then surfaced, burned,
“He begged us, but we headed not.”
Distress they felt indeed well earned.
In hushed tones, secret, so they thought,
But Joseph, hearing, turned and wept,
In stealth, returned the cash they’d brought.
That night fear, panic, over-swept
Them all on looking at their grain
Seeing their coins then, they too wept.
How it was there, none could explain.
“What is this God has done to us?”
They cried, returning home in pain.
Yes, down to Egypt, down they went
Not understanding they’d been sent.
(from Genesis 42:1-28)
Copyright © Jeff Kyser | Year Posted 2022
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