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.