Story 30: Jo'seph Forgives His Brothers lV

   The answer is, that only by such harsh treatment could the conscience of his brothers be stirred to these depths; by this way alone could they be brought to genuine repentance for their crime against Jo'seph. He had forgiven them in his heart long ago, but knew that they must be brought to the lowest depths of sorrow before their souls could be healed. They had been terribly distressed by the fear of being punished, and had felt the Hand of God upon them, but such feelings were not enough to save them.
   Before revealing himself to his brothers, and openly forgiving them, Jo'seph wished to see a clear proof of their repentance and a change of heart. Would they desert Ben'ja-min when he was about to be made a slave, and return to their father without him? Would they treat this son of Ra'chel as they had once treated her elder son? Were their hearts still full of envy and hatred toward a favorite son of their aged father? All of these questions must be answered to the satisfaction of Jo'seph before he could treat them as his brothers again. Proof that they were worthy to receive the blessings yet to be given them must be found, so Jo'seph took these harsh, apparently unfair methods to prove their sincerity.
   The test succeeded in every possible way, and the brothers endured the trial in a manner which did them credit. Ju'dah, who spoke for the entire group, came forward with a tender, heart-stirring, and eloquent appeal for a true understanding of their position. He boldly declared that he and all his brothers were determined to cling to Ben'ja-min, and that they were willing to pay the full penalty required for the crime with which he was charged.
   The plea which Ju'dah made on this momentous occasion is truly one of the masterpieces of the He'brew language. He did not insist upon the innocence of Ben'ja-min, nor did he confess his guilt; but he did make a humble confession of his own iniquity. Without giving a description of the crime against Jo'seph, he admitted that he and his brothers had been guilty of great sins in their lives, and that the LORD had now called them to account.
   In his pleadings for Ben'ja-min's release, Ju'dah spoke with words that came from the heart, and with a sincerity which no one could doubt. He gave a true and moving description of the trials which had come to his father's family, and told with great feeling all that had taken place between his brothers and the E'gyp-tian ruler during their two visits. He held himself strictly to the truth, but spoke with such fervor that his appeal could not be denied.
  
  

Story 30: Jo'seph Forgives His Brothers lll

   He, therefore, followed a plan which may seem cruel, but which was the best possible way of revealing himself to his brothers. The steward was told to put Ben'ja-min's sack of grain a valuable silver drinking cup which belonged to Jo'seph, and which had been used during the dinner which his brothers had attended as guests of honor. The next morning found the sons of Ja'cob well on the road back to Ca'naan, but before they had gone far from the home of Jo'seph the steward was ordered to take them prisoners, and accuse them of stealing the cup.
   The steward soon overtook the brothers, and declared that they had stolen his master's silver cup. Their happiness over the release of Sim'e-on from prison, and the permission to return to Ca'naan with their brother Ben'ja-min, in addition to the supply of grain which they had bought, was suddenly turned into deepest sorrow. They naturally denied their guilt, and were so sure that they had done no wrong that they offered to let the one who might be proved to have stolen the cup to be put to death, while all his brothers should become slaves of the E'gyp-tian ruler for life. It was then agreed that their sacks should be searched by the E'gyp-tians.
   The sacks were then spread out upon the ground and carefully searched. The E'gyp-tians began their search with the sack of the eldest brother, and gradually examined the others until ten of the brothers had been found to be innocent. By this time the sons of Ja'cob felt that they would soon be free to continue their homeward journey, but their hopes were suddenly crushed. When the sack of Ben'ja-min was searched, the E'gyp-tians found at once the silver cup which belonged to Jo'seph. The brothers felt sure that Ben'ja-min had not stolen it, but when it was found in his possession there was nothing for them to say. It was hard to think that blame for the crime should fall upon the very son whom they had pledged to return to their father
   The brothers were taken back to Jo'seph to answer for the crime which seemed to have been committed, and to face whatever punishment that he might order. Jo'seph spoke to them very sternly, saying, "What a wicked, ungrateful thing you have done to me! Didn't you know that I would find out who took the cup?" Ju'dah then spoke for his brothers, admitting that he could see no way of explaining how the cup came to be in Ben'ja-min's sack. He said "We are your slaves, all of us, and we shall each of us serve the penalty of him in whose sack the cup was found."
   Jo'seph would not hear of this arrangement, and declared. "The man who stole the cup shall be my slave, but the rest of you must go back to your father's home at once.
   Questions naturally come to our minds over the severe treatment which Jo'seph gave his brothers. Why was it necessary for him to be so stern, to accuse Ben'ja-min of a crime he had not committed, and to threaten to keep him as a slave?
  

Story 30: Jo'seph Forgives His Brothers ll

   Before going in to the banquet hall, they paused to talk with the steward, and told him the true story of how they had found the money hidden in their sacks of grain after they had made a day's journey on their way home. They also told him that their father had sent the money back, and that they were ready to pay for the grain to be purchased on this visit. The steward declared that they could not possibly be blamed for having the money in their sacks, and said to them, "The LORD God of Heaven, the God of your fathers, brought to you this treasure."
   The sons of Ja'cob were both alarmed and encouraged to hear an E'gyp-tian steward speak so kindly of the God of the He'brews. It was good to hear that the True God was known in the household of an E'gyp-tian ruler, yet they feared that one who knew their God might also know their sins against Him.
   The steward and all the servants who assisted him were very kind to the brothers, washing their feet according to the Oriental custom, and making them feel welcome in every way. Jo'seph had a table prepared for them as the guests of honor, while he sat at his own table, and the E'gyp-tian officials who dined with them were given a place to themselves. because of the different customs and religious beliefs of each race, it was not permissible for E'gyp-tians and He'brews to eat at the same table.
   In arranging his guests about the table, Joseph began with the eldest of the brothers, and placed them all in regular order according to their ages. This act greatly puzzled the sons of Ja'cob, for they could not understand how he knew the order in which they were born. In serving them, he took pains to favor Ben'ja-min, giving him five times as much as any other in each course of the banquet. All these amazed the brothers, who could see no possible reason for such kindness to them.
   The occasion was also a great trial for Jo'seph, and he found it very hard to pretend to be a stranger when his own brothers sat at his table as guests. Wishing to put them at ease, he began to ask questions about the health of their father, and continued to show special kindness to Ben'ja-min. The evening passed cheerfully enough for all, and Jo'seph was still unknown to his brothers.
   When the meal was over, Jo'seph ordered his steward to fill the sacks of his brothers with grain, and to place the money which had been paid in the top of each sack. Jo'seph had failed in his wish to reveal himself to his brothers in the banquet hall. Everything which he had done should have given his brothers a clue to his identity, but it never occurred to them that he was their long lost brother. Jo'seph now resolved to take some other means of letting them know who he was.
  

Story 30: Jo'seph Forgives His Brothers l

   It was not long before the grain which the sons of Ja'cob had purchased in E'gypt was used up. In addition to the sixty-six members of his own household, Ja'cob had to provide food for the families of his many servants. The famine still brought suffering and starvation to the land of Ca'naan, and it was only a matter of time before Ja'cob and his family would have nothing to eat.
   Ja'cob had declared that he would rather die than send his youngest son Ben'ja-min to E'gypt, but now it seemed that death would come to Ja'cob and his sons in the land of Ca'naan unless food could be brought in from E'gypt. For this reason Ja'cob finally decided to risk the life of his favorite son by sending him to E'gypt for the food which was so greatly needed.
   When Ju'dah offered to give his life if Ben'ja-min did not return safely from E'gypt, Ja'cob decided to send his nine remaining elder sons with Ben'ja-min to make a second purchase of grain in E'gypt. He told his sons to take with them twice the sum of money needed to pay for the grain which they sought, as well as the money which had been hidden in their sacks when they made their first purchase. As a special gift for the ruler of the E'gyp-tian supplies, Ja'cob sent balm, honey, spices, and nuts, for the famine had not destroyed these crops.
   The sons of Ja'cob again reached the land of E'gypt in safety, and were brought before Jo'seph for questioning. As they bowed down before him, Jo'seph saw that one of them was a stranger to him; since he was much younger than his brothers, Jo'seph knew that he must be Ben'ja-min. The sight of the brother he had waited so long to see brought tears of joy to the eyes of Jo'seph, and his heart was filled overflowing with happiness. Not wishing the others to see that he was overcome by his feelings, he went to his own room to wash away the tears of joy.
   Jo'seph then told his chief steward to take these He'brews into his own house, and ordered him to prepare a meal at which they were to be his guests of honor. Nor was Sim'e-on forgotten, for Jo'seph ordered him to be released from prison and sent to join his brothers. To be treated with such great honor made the brothers suspicious; they were afraid that they might be accused of stealing the money which had been secretly placed in their sacks of grain when they left E'gypt after their first visit.
   They knew, of course, that the money had come to them without their having done anything wrong, but still they feared that the E'gyp-tian ruler was scheming to do them harm. The real reason for such thoughts was the guilty conscience which they had for the wrong they had done Jo'seph some twenty-three years before. They still did not  know that the E'gyp-tian ruler was their brother, but since they had done a wrong which they could never forget, they looked upon any strange events as a possible means of punishment for their sins.

Story 29: Jo'seph's Brothers Come To E'gypt To Buy Grain lV

   They did not know that their money had been returned until they stopped at an inn to spend the night. One of the sacks was opened to get some grain, and then the brothers were amazed to find money in the mouth of the sack. Instead of being happy to learn that the grain had cost them nothing, they were very much alarmed by the discovery. It had been hard enough to bear the suspicion and rough treatment which they were shown by the E'gyp-tian ruler, but they were even more frightened by his strange act of returning their money. It did not occur to them that he might have meant nothing but kindness in so doing, and they wondered what further punishment the LORD was preparing for them. They dared not return to E'gypt and give back the money, for this time they, too, might be held in prison as spies, so all they could do was to hope for the best, and hasten to the land of their father.
   When they reached the land of Ca'naan, they told Ja'cob of all that had happened to them in E'gypt. Then all the sacks of grain were opened, and in each was found the money which had been paid for the grain. Once again the brothers were frightened, and even Ja'cob could find no way of explaining the strange return of the money; he, too, felt that it was a sign of bad news in the future.
   Ja'cob was overcome by the demand that Ben'ja-min, his beloved youngest son, be taken to E'gypt. He still thought that Jo'seph had been slain by a wild animal twenty-three years before, he knew that Sim'e-on was now in an E'gyp-tian prison, perhaps doomed to die, and now he was called upon to give up the son who had brought him comfort during many trials. The thought was more than he could bear, so he declared that it would be better if they all died of hunger. after the older brothers had failed to overcome the fears of Ja'cob, or to persuade him to let Ben'ja-min go down into E'gypt, it was agreed to do nothing about the matter for the time being. In our next story we shall learn how Ja'cob was forced to send Ben'ja-min to E'gypt, and how wonderfully the LORD blessed Ja'cob and his sons.
  

Story 29: Jo'seph's Brothers Come To E'gypt To Buy Grain lll

   This demand brought both sorrow and fear to the hearts of Jo'seph's brothers. To do what he asked might cause their father's death, for Ja'cob had found comfort for the supposed loss of Jo'seph only in his fondness for Ben'ja-min. They also were unwilling to run the risk of being held in E'gypt while one of their brothers returned to their father's house for the youngest son whom Ja'cob loved so dearly. When they refused to do what Jo'seph had asked, they were put in prison. For three days they remained prisoners, while Jo'seph searched his mind for some way of carrying out the will of God without harm to his brothers.
   On the third day, Jo'seph visited his brothers in prison and offered them an easier way to prove that they were not spies. He said to them: "This do, and live; for I fear God: if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of my prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother to me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die." The fact that an E'gyp-tian officer, as they supposed him to be, believed in the True God filled the brothers with shame for all their evil deeds.
   It was natural for them to use their own language while discussing the offer which Jo'seph had now made them; since he had questioned them with the aid of an interpreter, they took it for granted that he would not know what they were saying. He, therefore, heard them confess to one another that they were now being justly punished for the cruel wrong they had done their brother twenty-three years before. They had paid no attention to Jo'seph's cries of distress when they cast him into the pit, so now they had no right to complain if they were shown no mercy.
   Then Jo'seph bound Sim'e-on as a prisoner before their very eyes. This was to remind them that he would be put to death as a spy if they failed to return from the land of Ca'naan with Ben'ja-min, their youngest brother. The servants of Jo'seph then filled the grain sacks which his brothers had brought to E'gypt, and in the top of each sack placed the money which had been paid for the grain. The brothers went away with mingled feelings. They were happy to have the grain which was so greatly needed in Ca'naan, and thankful that they were now freed from prison, but it was sad to think of Sim'e-on having to remain a prisoner until they returned to E'gypt.
  
  
  

Story 29: Jo'seph's Brothers Come To E'gypt To Buy Grain ll

   Upon reaching the land of E'gypt they were sent to the high officer who had charge of all the grain. Without his permission, no grain could be taken from E'gypt. Little did the brothers think that this mighty ruler was the boy they had sold into slavery! They feared that they might meet him among the slaves of that country, but never dreamed of seeing him as a ruler second only to the king. For this reason it was easy for Jo'seph to keep them from knowing who he was.
   When the brothers were brought before Jo'seph, they bowed so low that their faces almost touched the ground, for this was the manner in which common people showed respect to a great ruler. Jo'seph wore the costly robes of his office, spoke the E'gyp-tian language perfectly, and acted with all the dignity of a nobleman. It is no wonder that even his own brothers did not know him as he stood before them. Jo'seph, however, knew them at once, for they had changed very little since he last had seen them. Because he loved his brothers in spite of what they had done to him, it was hard for Jo'seph to treat them as though they were strangers, but this he did.
   Jo'seph had dreamed of the day when his brothers should bow before him, and they had been very angry when he told them the dream, but now it had come true. They had mocked him, making light of his prophetic dreams, but now they bowed before him in all humility. It was not yet the proper time to tell them who he was, so he patiently continued to let them think he was an E'gyp-tian.
   Speaking roughly to them, Jo'seph forced his brothers to tell him from whence they came. When they said that they had come from the land of Ca'naan to buy food, he pretended not to believe them, and he declared that they were spies who had come to plan an attack upon his country. By these words Jo'seph  hoped to lead his brothers into telling him all about his father without their suspecting that he was their long lost brother.
   The plan of Jo'seph was successful, for the brothers said: "Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Ca'naan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not." Having learned that his father was living, Jo'seph continued to test his brothers by demanding that all but one of them be left with him in E'gypt while the other went back to Ca'naan to bring their youngest brother before him. Jo'seph then warned them that their only hope of escaping death was for the youngest brother to come back with the one who should go to fetch him.