Classic Themes Begin Somewhere

Scripture: Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. Genesis 42:22-23

Observation: This scene is straight out of a movie ... a group of people are talking in one language, and the protagonist understands them because he secretly knows that language but has hidden that fact, using an interpreter during their conversation ... he therefore understands their hidden motives; the audience knows he understands, and simply waits to see when he will spring a trap to catch them in deception.

Joseph does trap his brothers, forcing them to bring Benjamin to see him, and the fact is he is much further "ahead" of his brothers in understanding the situation, as they don't even recognize him in the first place. This is an archetypal 'thriller' scenario, with one person of power holding all the cards, and the reader/audience just wondering how long he'll allow the game to play out.

Application: One of the funnier things in my education is when someone who never studied literature reads Shakespear and finds a phrase or plot even that is common today, and they say "wow, that was popular even in Shakespear's day" ... and those who know say "um ... no ... Shakespear invented that, right there in this play, and everyone else copies it now."

I feel the same here, with faking out someone about what language you speak by using an interpreter when. This was written about 3,400 years ago, about events that happened almost 4,000 years ago. This is the first 'literary' reference to this. Now, maybe this wasn't unique, and maybe this was easily a ruse so obvious that others not only did it but anyone could (and still does) think of it as a plot device. Still, this is the origin of this means of gleaning information from someone through hiding ones understanding of their language.

All I'm saying is that it is fun to read the bible and recognize its influence on others, even when perhaps they don't know they're being influenced.

Prayer: Lord, you are great and wonderous and powerful and glorious, and you are also interesting. Your word fascinates me not only in how it instructs, but how it can entertain and educate as well. May I meditate on your word more and more every day. Amen.