Story 31: The Removal Of Ja'cob And His Family To E'gypt ll

   This brought them to the point where they must explain who the E'gyp-tian ruler really was. The officer who had kept Sim'e-on in prison as a spy at the time of their first visit, and who had insisted that Ben'ja-min be brought to E'gypt before the much-needed supplies could be bought, was none other than Ja'cob's beloved son Jo'seph. The son he had mourned as dead for nearly twenty-five years was not only alive and well, but was governor of all the land of E'gypt!
   In telling their father this wonderful news they were obliged to go into the disgraceful story of how they had treated their brother so many years before. With tears of repentance, and with their heads bowed in shame, they admitted that they had sold Jo'seph to a band of slave-dealers, and had led Ja'cob to believe that his favorite son had been slain by a wild animal.
   The tenderness with which Jo'seph had heard his brothers admit their sin, and the kindly spirit with which he had forgiven them and become friends with them again, was related to their father. They also told Ja'cob of his son's glory and power in E'gypt, of his wonderful way of seeing the hand of God in all that took place, and how he warned them that the terrible famine would continue for five more years. Nor did the brothers forget to tell their father of the gracious manner in which they had been entertained by Jo'seph, or of the request of both Jo'seph and the E'gyp-tian king that Ja'cob and all his family come at once to dwell in E'gypt.
   The family of Ja'cob then sat in comfort within their tent, awaiting the word of the master concerning the great news which had just come to him. As the ten sons humbly confessed their guilt before their father, Ja'cob was moved by strong feelings; as they told him the wonderful news that Jo'seph was alive, and had sent for him to come at once into the land in which he was now a ruler, second only to the king, the old man was completely overcome. The news that his beloved son was alive seemed too much to believe, and the cruel behavior of his ten sons was too heavy a burden to bear. Ja'cob fainted, falling helpless at the feet of his sons.
   When Ja'cob had recovered from the shock, and had seen the wagons which had been provided for his journey to E'gypt, he no longer doubted the good news which his sons had brought him concerning Jo'seph, but cried out with great joy, "It is enough; Jo'seph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die." So happy was he to know that his beloved son was alive and well, that he declared that he was willing to die if only he might see Jo'seph again.

Story 31: The Removal Of Ja'cob And His Family To E'gypt l

   The news that Jo'seph was a brother of the men who had come down from Ca'naan to buy grain spread rapidly among the officers of Pha'roah and finally was brought to the great king himself. Instead of being angry with Jo'seph for inviting his father's household to come to E'gypt without first asking the king's permission, Pha'roah and all his officers were very happy to hear the news. When the king learnt that Jo'seph intended to have his father and all his family come to E'gypt to make their home, he sent an official invitation to Ja'cob to come at once, assuring him that his family would be given the choicest part of E'gypt for their future home.
   It is true that Jo'seph had been given charge of all the affairs of E'gypt, and therefore had the right to ask his father to come there to live, but Pha'roah graciously showed his approval by adding an invitation in the name of the king. What is more, he helped a great deal in making the hard journey more comfortable for Ja'cob and the members of his family. By his command wagons were sent to aid in moving Ja'cob's household goods, and Jo'seph was ordered to see that provisions were supplied for the journey. In addition to providing the bare necessities of food and transportation, certain luxuries were given by Pha'roah in order that Ja'cob's family might see how well the brothers had been treated. New clothes were given them, and to Ben'ja-min there was given five new robes and three hundred pieces of silver. Choice articles of food and other valuable presents were sent to Ja'cob as a mark of the king's good will toward him.
   All these kind acts by Pha'roah proved to Ja'cob and his sons that Jo'seph was very highly regarded in E'gypt, and that both the king and the people were grateful to him for saving their nation from the famine. Before letting his brothers go back to the land of Ca'naan, Jo'seph warned them not to quarrel with one another on the way. He told them not to let any feelings of anger or jealousy arise among them, and to be especially careful not to harm Ben'ja-min because he had been shown greater favor than the other brothers. after these warnings had been given, Jo'seph ordered his brothers to hasten to their father's house, and to bring him back to the land of E'gypt without delay.
   The eleven sons of Ja'cob made the long trip back home as quickly as possible. Safe at last in their own home, they sat down with their father and told him about all the strange and trying things which had happened to them during this visit. First they told him of the friendly way in which the E'gyp-tian  ruler had made them his guests of honor at a banquet, and of all the acts of kindness which his servants had shown them. Then they told their father of the strange manner in which Ben'ja-min was accused of stealing the silver cup which belonged to the E'gyp-tian officer.
  

Story 30: Jo'seph Forgives His Brothers Vl

   When the room was cleared of all outsiders, Jo'seph turned to his brothers and said, "I am Jo'seph." He wept as he said this, trembling and overcome by the depths of his feelings. The brothers sat dumbfounded and terrified by this announcement, not one of them being able to speak. Again Jo'seph said "I am your brother Jo'seph." And then he asked tenderly, "Is my father alive?"
   Jo'seph then asked his brothers to draw near, and talked with them in a gentle, tender way. He might have said to them, "You are murderers, and I am a prince in spite of you. My position and power make it easy for me to have revenge upon you. My glory is your shame, and you are now in peril of your lives." But Jo'seph did not speak in this manner. Instead, he assured his brothers of pardon, and love, and future protection under his own hand. He said, "Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me into bondage. God sent me before you into this land, and has made me the friend of Pha'roah and ruler over his country that I might preserve life. It is God's plan that I should save not only the lives of E'gypt, but also the lives of my own family now in Ca'naan."
   Jo'seph went on to explain to his brothers that the famine would continue for five years more, and that in every country except E'gypt, where the LORD had enable him to store up food enough to meet the calamity, there would be continued suffering and starvation. He told them that he had made ready a place for the Covenant Family of Is'ra-el to dwell, and that his father's entire household should be brought to E'gypt at once.
   Tenderly embracing Ben'ja-min and kissing all the others a fond farewell, Jo'seph sent his brothers, with servants and wagons, for his father.
  

Story 30: Jo'seph Forgives His Brothers V

   Ju'dah remained humble and respectful in manner as he pleaded with the E'gyp-tian ruler, but his words were not lacking in force. He said, "Oh, my master, I beg you to hear my plea. Do not let your anger be aroused against your servant, for I know that you are like unto Pha'roah in power. When you inquired of us, we told you truthfully that we have a father who is now a very old man, feeble in strength, and on the verge of the grave; we also said that there is a younger brother who is very dear to their father's heart, his only full brother being dead. When you told us that we must bring him down to E'gypt that you might look upon his face, we truthfully explained that such a demand would break our father's heart. But we have prevailed upon our father to grant your request, because he and his household are facing starvation, and have no other way of securing food."
   Then Ju'dah went on with these passionate words, "Or father said to us, 'You know that my own most beloved wife Ra'chel bore me two sons, and that one of them went out on an errand for me and returned not, and that for all I know he was torn to pieces by wild beasts. If you take this son also from me, and mischief befall him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.' If I return to my father and the lad is not with me, he will die; and we, your servants, will have been the cause of our father's death. I, myself, became surety to my father for the return of the lad. I now wish to take his place as a slave, and earnestly ask that you let him go back to his father."
   When Ju'dah had finished speaking, Jo'seph could no longer hold his feelings in check. His heart was melted into compassion for a father who had lost one son whom he thought to be dead, and who now trembled in the fear of losing another son, dearer to him now than the first. Now Jo'seph knew that his brothers had sincerely repented for their crime against him, and that they might safely be trusted with Ben'jam-in.
   Suppressing his emotion for a moment, Jo'seph ordered that all his E'gyp-tian officers should leave the room at once, as he wished to be alone with his eleven brothers. His feelings were too deep to be exposed even to his most trusted officers. What was about to take place concerned the sons of Ja'cob alone, and all the world must be shut out.
   Jo'seph knew that when he revealed himself to his brothers as the one they had sold to the Ish'ma-el-ite slave-dealers, they would at once confess their crime. He did not wish the E'gyp-tians to know about this, for they would not readily forgive such a crime against their ruler, even though it had taken place many years before.
  

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.