The banquet of emotions

The function of the hospitality scene (Gen 43:15–44:3) in the stories of reunion (Gen 42–45)

Abstract

Located at the heart of the Joseph-cycle (Gen 37–50), Gen 43:15–44:3 presents a very exciting description of hospitality, which is also central to the stories of the reunion of Joseph and his brothers (Gen 42–45). Joseph subjects his brothers to a series of psychological tests in order to see what is in their hearts and whether they repent of the way they treated him. The central story of this series of tests is the description of Joseph hosting his brothers in Egypt. The main question is what role does this description of hospitality play in the series of psychological warfare that Joseph waged against his brothers? Furthermore, how can a custom (hospitality) with a fundamentally positive emotional charge in this specific case turn into a tool of fear-mongering in Joseph’s hands, in order to probe his brothers’ intentions and force them to confess their sins? The raison d’être of this study is, on the one hand, that the Hungarian scholarly literature related to the Joseph-cycle is sparse, and, secondly, that the section under examination has not been read from the perspective of Old Testament hospitality.