
He spake roughly, but he did not feel so.-
When he had spoken in these  harsh tones, he restored their money; turned aside to weep (Genesis 42:24); and  did his best to alleviate the toils of travel. So sometimes God seems to deal  harshly, and speak roughly; but there is no change in the tender love of His  heart. It costs Him immeasurably more than it does us. Often when some unusual  severity has been evinced, if we could but see His face, it would be full of  pity, pain, and pleading on our behalf. He feels yearnings over us which He  restrains, and dares not betray till the work of conviction is  complete.
He spake roughly to awaken conscience. - It had slept for  twenty years. They had almost forgotten that scene at the pit's mouth; but as he  repeated their tones, and words, and treatment, it all came back again, and they  cried, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother." There must be repentance  and confession before God can take us to His heart. We must confess the wrongs  done to our Brother in heaven and our brothers on earth; and many of the  roughnesses of God's Providence are intended to awaken us, and bring our sin to  remembrance.
He spake roughly to test them. - How did they feel toward  each other: was there rivalry, or bitterness, or angry feeling? Beneath his  biting words, Joseph would mark their behavior! Would they disown each other, or  cling to one another? There was an opportunity for their doing one or the other;  and he was glad to notice how their love approved itself. So we are led over  stony roads, that God may know what is in our hearts. He gives us opportunities  of showing our real feeling toward our brothers, that He may test our love  toward Himself.