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.
Servants in Joseph's house lay three separate tables: one for the ruler of Egypt, one for the Egyptians, one for his brothers. Why does the host feast his guests and still eat apart from them?
The custom behind the three tables
The separation was not Joseph's invention. It ran through Egyptian life, and it later shaped where Jacob's family settled — a region called Goshen.
William KellyGoshen was the part of Egypt least visited by the people of the land. Herdsmen, shepherds and the like were an abomination to them, as Joseph let them know. Even apart from this, we were already told of their general objection to eating bread with foreigners (43:32). Such was the severity of caste among the Egyptians, as we know it is among strict Hindus.
Three companies, one ruler
Commentators read these three tables as a picture of what comes later in Scripture.
L. M. GrantJoseph ate by himself, the Egyptian servants by themselves, and Joseph's brothers by themselves (v. 32). Here is a reminder that the Lord Jesus is alone in authority over all, while Israel and Gentiles are distinct companies. This will be true in the Millennium. The church of God stands in great contrast to this. All believers, Jewish and Gentile, are fully united in one body. There is no division between them, and Christ is in their midst as Head, not only as Lord. The Egyptians considered it loathsome to eat with Hebrews. Later, Peter said it was unlawful for a Jew to have any company with Gentiles (Acts 10:28).
In the room, but not at the table
Joseph receives his brothers, but he does not bring them close. They sit in his house and still eat at a distance from him. He closes that distance himself, later.
H. J. VineWhen the once rejected Joseph became lord of all Egypt, his brothers, not knowing who he really was, came before him. He received them, but not at the same table. The Egyptians served their lord "by himself, and them by themselves," although "they sat before him." Joseph felt the position deeply. Afterwards he said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." And they came near. Today we are brought near, but it is not our doing: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:13).
Love that holds back on purpose
Joseph could end the whole thing with one sentence. He does not. His kindness and his distance are working together.
Hamilton SmithJoseph speaks kindly to them. He yearns in love over his younger brother and weeps in love in secret. But he restrains himself in love, for love's time to reveal itself has not yet come. The Lord deals with the woman at the well in the same perfect wisdom. He does not reveal Himself until her conscience is reached and everything is out in the open. Then she finds that she is in the presence of One who knows her whole history and yet loves her so much that He can say to her, "Come here." … He will feast them, but in such a way that they cannot help seeing that their history is known. … In the enjoyment of all this favour, "they drank and were merry with him." But they must learn other lessons before he can be merry with them. They are rejoicing in his gifts, but they have yet to rejoice in himself.
A divided table that unsettles them
The split between Hebrew and Egyptian is only half of this dinner. The host also knows more about his guests than any stranger could.
F. B. HoleJoseph showed wisdom as well as love. At the dinner the rift between Hebrew and Egyptian was clear. Yet the brothers sat before Joseph, and he placed them in the exact order of their ages. Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of the others. All this must have seemed to show almost superhuman discernment in the great man. It increased their uneasy feeling.
Commentators differ in emphasis. Some read the three tables as a picture of Christ, Israel and the nations kept apart. Others dwell on the personal distance between Joseph and brothers who did not yet know him.
Summary
- Custom. Egyptians would not eat bread with foreigners; shepherds were detestable to them. The divided table was ordinary Egyptian caste, not Joseph's coldness.
- Distance. Joseph welcomed his brothers into the house, and they still ate apart from him. Welcomed is not the same as brought near.
- Restraint. Joseph's love had a timetable. He fed them well but kept himself hidden, because love's time to speak had not yet come.
- Nearness. Joseph's own word ended the distance: "Come near to me" — as those once far off are brought near by the blood of Christ, and not by their own doing.
- Unity. Three separate tables picture Christ alone over all, with Israel and the nations distinct. The church stands in contrast. There Jewish and Gentile believers are one body, with Christ in their midst.