And remembering the dreams, which formerly he had dreamed, he said to them: You are spies. You are come to view the weaker parts of the land.
וַיִּזְכֹּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת הַחֲלֹמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלַ֖ם לָהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מְרַגְּלִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לִרְא֛וֹת אֶת־עֶרְוַ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּאתֶֽם׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Joseph recalled the dreams he had concerning his brothers. Upon reflecting on these dreams and recognizing their truth, he felt compelled to examine the situation closely. With great seriousness, he confronted them, declaring, “You are spies; you have come to observe the vulnerability of this land. Your intentions are not good; it is clear that you have arrived here with deceitful and malevolent purposes.”
During a discussion with his siblings, Joseph lightly chided them, suggesting that their visit to Egypt was not merely to obtain food but rather to spy on the situation.
Joseph soon encountered his brothers and, upon recognizing them, expressed his anger, declaring, "These ten men are wicked spies who have come to Egypt with malintent; seize them and bind them securely, for they have arrived to explore our territory."
Had he not alarmed them with this benevolent falsehood, he would not have been able to reunite with his father and brother or rescue them from their dire circumstances, nor would he have been able to alleviate their consciences regarding the betrayal they had committed. Therefore, instilling fear in his brothers through deception was not primarily blameworthy; rather, it was a commendable action aimed at leading their adversaries and traitors towards a beneficial repentance in light of a fabricated peril.
Upon their arrival in Egypt, Jacob's sons joined other merchants at the place where bread was sold. Unbeknownst to them, it was their brother Joseph who was overseeing the sale of grain. As soon as the brothers approached, he recognized them instantly; however, they did not realize they were standing before him, the brother who had been sold into slavery for twenty pieces of silver. How could they recognize him? When they had last seen him, he was just a boy of seventeen; now he was nearing forty. The passage of years had transformed him, not only in age but also through the glory and prominence he had attained in the service of Egypt, a nation renowned for its education, power, and governance. The brothers fell prostrate before Joseph, their foreheads touching the ground.
He recalled the dreams he had shared with them ... Wise and gracious Joseph decided to withhold his identity from them for the moment. The control he held over himself was remarkable! His heart longed to share the joyful news of his life with his elderly, beloved father, who had mourned for over two decades, believing him lost forever. Yet, he suppressed the urge of a compassionate heart, opting instead for a course of action that would benefit both himself and his brothers. Joseph was all too familiar with the rough and unruly nature of these men; they were shepherds, raised in a nomadic lifestyle, accustomed to the untamed freedom of their flocks in the wilderness. They displayed no respect for authority, often defying and insulting their father, fulfilling every reckless desire, often with blood on their hands. Such is how the Scriptures depict the sons of Jacob. They required a lesson in humility and proper conduct. These hardened souls, who had long disregarded conscience and the fear of God, needed to be shaken from their complacency through the fear imposed by their fellow man. Anticipating a severe famine, Joseph also foresaw the need to relocate Jacob's family from Canaan to Egypt. Was this not the reason he accused his brothers of being spies upon their initial visit? If they brought their unruly behavior with them into this new land, they would quickly provoke the wrath of the Egyptians, jeopardizing the well-being of Jacob's family and his own safety, leading them to great peril. What he had earned through enduring hardships had to be safeguarded through wise actions. Joseph approached his brothers with gravity, assuming the role of a stern lord. “Where have you come from?” he inquired. They replied, “We are from the land of Canaan; we have come to buy food.” He countered, “You are spies; you have come to observe the weaknesses of our land!”
Joseph then recalled his dreams, sensing that they were now being fulfilled, a realization he attributed to God's intervention. "You are spies." This reference to his past dreams coincides with an unrelated accusation. The connection does not lie in Joseph's desire to confront his envious brothers, who previously doubted his visions, but rather in his acknowledgment that his earlier trials were divinely orchestrated. In this moment, he felt inspired to test his brothers briefly for their correction. "You have come to see the nakedness of this land." This refers to the vulnerable areas lacking natural defenses or fortifications, making them susceptible to enemy incursions. This assumption was plausible, as the most perilous border of Egypt lay along the Palestinian territory. Moreover, such a suspicion was necessary for Joseph to safeguard the interests of the Egyptians, for he did not want to raise undue concerns among them regarding the unexpected favor he was showing to these unfamiliar visitors.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS