Joseph Not Recognized by His Brothers. There are very good reasons that Joseph’s brothers did not recognize him when they came to Egypt for food. Not only did they think he might be dead, but they knew that Joseph was a slave if he was alive. He would certainly not be the ruler of Egypt. Physically he was very different too, beyond whatever changes his appearance had during the twenty-two years since they had seen him. He left as a teenager and now was about forty years old. As a member of the royal household, Joseph had shaved all his head, eyebrows, and body hair. He shaved every day, so he was as bald as a billiard ball.