벤야민과 선물을 가지고 이집트로 간 요셉의 형제들(창세기 43장)

창세기 43장 내용은 요셉 형제들이 아버지 말을 듣고 선물과 두 배의 돈 그리고 벤야민을 데리고 이집트에 간 에피소드입니다. 요셉은 그들을 환대하였고 벤야민에게는 특별한 정을 보여줬는데요. 요셉은 형제들에 대한 연민과 아버지에 대한 그리움 등으로 감정이 복받혀 홀로 눈물을 훔치고 극진한 대접을 해줍니다.

 

 

부자간의 이상한 대화

 

창세기 43장의 영어 본문과 개인적인 해석입니다.

 

1. Now the famine was severe in the land.

2. And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little food."

3. But Judah said to him, " The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'

4.If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

5.But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'"

6. Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?"

7. They replied, "The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"

8. And Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.

9. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, them let me bear the blame forever.

10. If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice."

 

 

 

첫 장부터 이상하게 와닿는 창세기 43장입니다. 창세기 42장에서 요셉 총독이 분명히 막내 동생을 데려오라며 한 명을 볼모로 두고 다른 형제에게 곡식을 줘서 보낸 것인데 43장은 이스라엘이 하는 말이 곡식이 다 떨어졌으니 이집트에 가서 사 오라는 것이었습니다. 그러니까 유추하면 감옥에는 다른 자식이 갇혀있고 이스라엘은 베냐민을 데려가면 죽일 테니 못 보내고 곡식만 다 먹은 셈이네요? 그래놓고 이집트에 가서 먹을 것을 사 오라니 참, 너무 기가 막힙니다.

 

 

 

그래서 아들 유다가 말하길 베냐민을 데려가지 않으면 쌀이고 뭐고 다 죽을 거라고 아버지를 설득합니다. 그러니 아버지는 또 왜 막내 동생이 있다고 해서 이런 상황을 만드냐고 호통치고, 유다는 절대 동생을 해치지 않게 하고 무사히 돌아올테니 같이 가게 해달라고 하고. 그러면서 이렇게 얘기할 동안 벌써 두 번은 갔다 왔겠다며 승강이를 벌입니다.

 

 

 

 

이스라엘의 혜안

 

11. Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, them do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

12. Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

13. Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.

14. May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

 

 

안 되겠다 싶었던지 이스라엘이 정신을 차리고 말합니다. 그렇다면 우리 지역의 특산물을 가지고 가라며 값나가는 유향에 꿀에 피스타치오에 아몬드 등도 가져가고 너희들이 자루로 받은 돈도 가져가고 갑절의 돈을 가지고 납작 엎드려라. 이런 의미로다, 일단 갖다 바치고 아부를 하라는 말 같습니다. 

 

 

 

 

 이집트에 도착한 요셉의 형제들

 

 

15. So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

16. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon."

17. The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph's house.

18. And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys."

 

steward: 집사

 

아버지 말대로 갑절의 돈과 선물을 가지고 이집트에 도착하였고 요셉은 동생 벤야민이 함께 온 것을 보더니 집사를 시켜 동물을 죽이고 만찬 준비를 하라고 합니다. 그리고 그들을 집으로 부르니 형제들은 지난번에 딸려 온 돈 보따리 때문에 자신들이 잡혀 죽을 줄 알고 두려움에 떨고 있습니다.

 

 발을 씻고 화해 분위기

 

 

 

19. So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house and spoke with him at the door of the house, 

20. and said, "Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.

21. And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us, 

22. and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."

23. He replied, "Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24. And when the man had brought the men into Joseph's house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, 

25. they prepared the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

 

우선 성경 속에 종종 발을 씻는 얘기가 나오는데요. 그 시절 사람들이 신발을 벗도 집안에 들어간 것도 아닐 텐데 발을 씻게 해 줬다는 것은 손님에 대한 환대, 겸손, 봉사의 의미는 물론 청결을 의미한다고 합니다. 요셉의 집에 초청받은 형제들에게 이런 예우를 베풀었지만 형제들은 더 두려움에 빠져서 자신들은 처음으로 곡식을 사러 온 것이라고 합니다. 지난번에 자신들도 모르는 돈이 자루에 들어있었다며 맹세코 자신들이 한 일이 아니라며 벌벌 떨면서 말하니 요셉이 대답합니다. 내가 그리 한 거니 걱정하지 말라고. 그러면서 인질로 잡힌 시므온을 그들 곁에 보내줍니다.

 

 

 그리움의 눈물 그리고 극진한 대접을 받은 히브루인

 

26. When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.

27. And he inquired about their welfare and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

28. They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.

29. And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!"

30. Then Joseph hurried our, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.

31. Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, "Serve the food."

32. They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

33. And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.

34. Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

 

birthright: 장자상속권

 

 

형제들을 안심시키고 요셉은 넌지시 그들에게 아버지의 안부를 물어봅니다. 살아계시나고 물으니 건강하게 잘 계신다고 합니다. 그러고 막내 벤야민을 보고 그에게 축복 비슷한 좋은 말을 해줍니다. 그런데 요셉은 형제들에 대한 연민과 아버지에 대한 그리움 등 복합적인 감정에 복받혀 잠시 방으로 들어가 눈물을 훔치고 감정을 조절합니다. 그리고 나서 다시 만찬을 대접하고 이집트인들은 그들에게 극진히 대접합니다. 이것이 당시로서는 파격이었던 것이 이집트인은 히브루인을 경멸했기에 겸상은 있을 수도 없는데 그들이 히브리인인 요셉 형제들을 대접했기 때문입니다. 그러한 가운데 특별히 벤야민 접시만 음식을 더 한가득 갖다 주었습니다.