Day 21 (Genesis 41,42; Psalm 21)..."The Wheels Begin to Come Off"

In reading the story of Joseph unfold, the brothers do journey to Egypt and stand humbly before him powerless. The story is captivating as Joseph conceals his identity and they do not recognize their "sold into slavery" brother. You get a sense the guilt for shipping Joseph to Egypt was becoming debilitating for them. If nothing else they had to lie constantly and the "cover up" was beginning to unravel. I sense as their plot is also goofy and they appear before Joseph "three stoogesnesque" as they stumbling all over each other with guilt. Add a good dose of fear in there and you have plenty to squirm about. Nevertheless, Joseph is having a little fun at their expense. These brothers were clueless and living the nightmare of Joseph's dream. Below is the account of hungry men with their wheels beginning to come off!

But they replied, "Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more." Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told you: You are spies! And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" And he put them all in custody for three days. On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they proceeded to do. They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us."