patriarchs and prophets-第56章

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bereaved　of　my　children：　Joseph　is　not；　and　Simeon　is　not；　and　ye　will　take
Benjamin　away：　all　these　things　are　against　me。〃　Reuben　answered；　〃Slay　my
two　sons；　if　I　bring　him　not　to　thee：　deliver　him　into　my　hand；　and　I　will
bring　him　to　thee　again。〃　This　rash　speech　did　not　relieve　the　mind　of
Jacob。　His　answer　was；　〃My　son　shall　not　go　down　with　you；　for　his　brother
is　dead；　and　he　is　left　alone：　if　mischief　befall　him　by　the　way　in　the
which　ye　go；　then　shall　ye　bring　down　my　gray　hairs　with　sorrow　to　the
grave。〃

But　the　drought　continued；　and　in　process　of　time　the　supply　of　grain　that
had　been　brought　from　Egypt　was　nearly　exhausted。　The　sons　of　Jacob　well
knew　that　it　would　be　in　vain　to　return　to　Egypt　without　Benjamin。　They　had
little　hope　of　changing　their　father's　resolution；　and　they　awaited　the
issue　in　silence。　Deeper　and　deeper　grew　the　shadow　of　approaching　famine；
in　the　anxious　faces　of　all　in　the　encampment　the　old　man　read　their　need；
at　last　he　said；　〃Go　again；　but　us　a　little　food。〃

Judah　answered；　〃The　man　did　solemnly　protest　unto　us；　saying；　Ye　shall　not
see　my　face；　except　your　brother　be　with　you。　If　thou　wilt　send　our　brother
with　us；　we　will　go　down　and　buy　thee　food：　but　if　thou　wilt　not　send　him；
we　will　not　go　down：　for　the　man　said　unto　us；　Ye　shall　not　see　my　face；
except　your　brother　be　with　you。〃　Seeing　that　his　father's　resolution　began
to　waver；　he　added；　〃Send　the　lad　with　me；　and　we　will　arise　and　go；　that　we
may　live；　and　not　die；　both　we；　and　thou；　and　also　our　little　ones；〃　and　he
offered　to　be　surety　for　his　brother　and　to　bear　the　blame　forever　if　he
failed　to　restore　Benjamin　to　his　father。

Jacob　could　no　longer　withhold　his　consent；　and　he　directed　his　sons　to
prepare　for　the　journey。　He　bade　them　also　take　to　the　ruler　a　present　of
such　things　as　the　famine…wasted　country　afforded〃a　little　balm；　and　a
little　honey；　spices　and　myrrh；　nuts　and　almonds；〃　also　a　double　quantity　of
money。　〃Take　also　your　brother；〃　he　said；　〃and　arise；　go　again　unto　the
man。〃　As　his　sons　were　about　to　depart　on　their　doubtful　journey　the　aged
father　arose；　and　raising　his　hands　to　heaven；　uttered　the　prayer；　〃God
Almighty　give　you　mercy　before　the　man；　that　he　may　send　away　your　other
brother；　and　Benjamin。　If　I　be　bereaved　of　my　children；　I　am　bereaved。〃

Again　they　journeyed　to　Egypt　and　presented　themselves

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before　Joseph。　As　his　eye　fell　upon　Benjamin；　his　own　mother's　son；　he　was
deeply　moved。　He　concealed　his　emotion；　however；　but　ordered　that　they　be
taken　to　his　house；　and　that　preparation　be　made　for　them　to　dine　with　him。
Upon　being　conducted　to　the　governor's　palace；　the　brothers　were　greatly
alarmed；　fearing　that　they　were　to　be　called　to　account　for　the　money　found
in　their　sacks。　They　thought　that　it　might　have　been　intentionally　placed
there；　to　furnish　occasion　for　making　them　slaves。　In　their　distress　they
consulted　with　the　steward　of　the　house；　relating　to　him　the　circumstances
of　their　visit　to　Egypt；　and　in　proof　of　their　innocence　informed　him　that
they　had　brought　back　the　money　found　in　their　sacks；　also　other　money　to
buy　food；　and　they　added；　〃We　cannot　tell　who　put　our　money　in　our　sacks。〃
The　man　replied；　〃Peace　be　to　you；　fear　not：　your　God；　and　the　God　of　your
father；　hath　given　you　treasure　in　your　sacks：　I　had　your　money。〃　Their
anxiety　was　relieved；　and　when　Simeon；　who　had　been　released　from　prison；
joined　them；　they　felt　that　God　was　indeed　gracious　unto　them。

When　the　governor　again　met　them　they　presented　their　gifts　and　humbly
〃bowed　themselves　to　him　to　the　earth。〃　Again　his　dreams　came　to　his　mind；
and　after　saluting　his　guests　he　hastened　to　ask；　〃Is　your　father　well；　the
old　man　of　whom　ye　spake？　Is　he　yet　alive？〃　〃Thy　servant　our　father　is　in
good　health；　he　is　yet　alive；〃　was　the　answer；　as　they　again　made　obeisance。
Then　his　eye　rested　upon　Benjamin；　and　he　said；　〃Is　this　your　younger
brother；　of　whom　ye　spake　unto　me？〃　〃God　be　gracious　unto　thee；　my　son；〃
but；　overpowered　by　feelings　of　tenderness；　he　could　say　no　more。　〃He
entered　into　his　chamber；　and　wept　there。〃

Having　recovered　his　self…possession；　he　returned；　and　all　proceeded　to　the
feast。　By　the　laws　of　caste　the　Egyptians　were　forbidden　to　eat　with　people
of　any　other　nation。　The　sons　of　Jacob　had　therefore　a　table　by　themselves；
while　the　governor；　on　account　of　his　high　rank；　ate　by　himself；　and　the
Egyptians　also　had　separate　tables。　When　all　were　seated　the　brothers　were
surprised　to　see　that　they　were　arranged　in　exact　order；　according　to　their
ages。　Joseph　〃sent　messes　unto　them　from　before　him；〃　but　Benjamin's　was
five　times　as　much　as　any　of　theirs。　By　this　token　of　favor　to　Benjamin　he
hoped　to　ascertain　if　the　youngest　brother　was　regarded　with　the　envy　and
hatred　that　had　been　manifested　toward　himself。　Still　supposing　that　Joseph
did　not

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understand　their　language；　the　brothers　freely　conversed　with　one　another；
thus　he　had　a　good　opportunity　to　learn　their　real　feelings。　Still　he
desired　to　test　them　further；　and　before　their　departure　he　ordered　that　his
own　drinking　cup　of　silver　should　be　concealed　in　the　sack　of　the　youngest。

Joyfully　they　set　out　on　their　return。　Simeon　and　Benjamin　were　with　them；
their　animals　were　laden　with　grain；　and　all　felt　that　they　had　safely
escaped　the　perils　that　had　seemed　to　surround　them。　But　they　had　only
reached　the　outskirts　of　the　city　when　they　were　overtaken　by　the　governor's
steward；　who　uttered　the　scathing　inquiry；　〃Wherefore　have　ye　rewarded　evil
for　good？　Is　not　this　it　in　which　my　lord　drinketh；　and　whereby　indeed　he
divineth？　ye　have　done　evil　in　so　doing。〃　This　cup　was　supposed　to　possess
the　power　of　detecting　any　poisonous　substance　placed　therein。　At　that　day
cups　of　this　kind　were　highly　valued　as　a　safeguard　against　murder　by
poisoning。

To　the　steward's　accusation　the　travelers　answered；　〃Wherefore　saith　my　lord
these　words？　God　forbid　that　thy　servants　should　do　according　to　this　thing：
behold；　the　money；　which　we　found　in　our　sack's　mouths；　we　brought　again
unto　thee　out　of　the　land　of　Canaan：　how　then　should　we　steal　out　of　thy
lord's　house　silver　or　gold？〃　With　whomsoever　of　thy　servants　it　be　found；
both　let　him　die；　and　we　also　will　be　my　lord's　bondmen。〃

〃Now　also　let　it　be　according　unto　your　words；〃　said　the　steward；　〃he　with
whom　it　is　found　shall　be　my　servant；　and　ye　shall　be　blameless。〃

The　search　began　immediately。　〃They　speedily　took　down　every　man　his　sack　to
the　ground；〃　and　the　steward　examined　each；　beginning　with　Reuben's；　and
taking　them　in　order　down　to　that　of　the　youngest。　In　Benjamin's　sack　the
cup　was　found。

The　brothers　rent　their　garments　in　token　of　utter　wretchedness；　and　slowly
returned　to　the　city。　By　their　own　promise　Benjamin　was　doomed　to　a　life　of
slavery。　They　followed　the　steward　to　the　palace；　and　finding　the　governor
yet　there；　they　prostrated　themselves　before　him。　〃What　deed　is　this　that　ye
have　done？〃　he　said。　〃Wot　ye　not　that　such　a　man　as　I　can　certainly　divine？〃
Joseph　designed　to　draw　from　them　an　acknowledgment　of　their　sin。　He　had
never　claimed　the　power　of　divination；　but　was　willing　to　have　them　believe
that　he　could　read　the　secrets　of　their　lives。

Judah　answered；　〃What　shall　we　say　unto　my　Lord？　what

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shall　we　speak？　or　how　shall　we　clear　ourselves？　God　hath　found　out　the
iniquity　of　thy　servants：　behold；　we　are　my　lord〃s　servants；　both　we；　and　he
also　with　whom　the　cup　is　found。〃

〃God　forbid　that　I　should　do　so；〃　was　the　reply；　〃but　the　man　in　whose　hand
the　cup　is　found；　he　shall　be　my　servant；　and　as　for　you；　get　you　up　in
peace　unto　your　father。〃

In　his　deep　distress　Judah　now　drew　near　to　the　ruler　and　exclaimed；　〃O　my
lord；　let　thy　servant；　I　pray　thee；　speak　a　word　in　my　lord's　ears；　and　let
not　thine　anger　burn　against　thy　servant：　for　thou　art　even　as　Pharaoh。〃　In
words　of　touching　eloquence　he　described　his　father's　grief　at　the　loss　of
Joseph　and　his　reluctance　to　let　Benjamin　come　with　them　to　Egypt；　as　he　was
the　only　son　left　of　his　mother；