Genesis 43:25
“They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.”
What does Genesis 43:25 mean?
Joseph's brothers had brought gifts to Egypt, hoping to smooth things over with this powerful official who held their fate in his hands. When they learned that Joseph himself wanted to eat with them, they realized this was no ordinary business meeting. They made careful preparations for the meal, arranging everything respectfully because they sensed the gravity of the moment. There's something touching here about their nervous care, even as they still didn't know this man was actually their brother Joseph, testing whether they'd changed since selling him into slavery years before.