Genesis 44; 45:1-15
THE brothers spent a happy day with Joseph. They did not go home that day, but waited to set out on the morrow.
You know that they had come to buy corn, and they had brought empty sacks with them. Joseph called his servant, and said to him secretly, "Fill the sacks of those eleven men with corn, and put their money that they have given me for the corn back into their sacks. And put my silver cup into the sack of the youngest.”
The servant filled the sacks with corn, and put the money into them. And he put the silver cup into Benjamin's sack; and then he gave the sacks to the brothers. They did not know that the servant had put money or a cup into them.
The next morning, as soon as it was light, the brothers rose up, took their asses and their sacks, and set off, to return home to their father. How glad they were to get away safely—not one left behind!
What a pleasant history they thought they should have to tell their father! How much surprised he would be to hear of the great lord's kindness—and how glad he would be to see Benjamin again! But soon was all their joy turned into grief.
They had gone but a little way, when someone called them. It was Joseph's servant; he came running after them.
What has made you, "said he," behave so ill to my lord, after all his kindness to you? Why have you stolen his silver cup, out of which he drinks? "
The brothers were much surprised to hear that the cup was stolen.
"Why should you think," Said they, "that we have taken it? We would not do such a wicked thing. Did we not bring back the money, when we thought it had been put in our sacks by mistake? And now would we steal a silver cup out of your lord's house? None of us has taken it. If one of us has taken it; let him die, and let all the rest be slaves to your lord.”
They said this because they were quite sure that none of them had taken it.
"No," said the servant, "it shall not be so; the one who has taken the cup shall not be killed; he shall only be a slave to my lord, and the others shall not be slaves; they shall all go home.”
Then the servant told them to open their sacks; so the eldest brother took down his sack; the servant looked in among the corn, but could find no cup. Then the second opened his sack, but there was no cup hid in it. The third showed his, and each brother showed his in his turn: At last Benjamin showed his. How much were they all surprised when they found the silver cup in it!
You know that Benjamin had not stolen it. You know that the servant had put it in the sack when he filled it with corn.
The servant said to Benjamin, "You must come back with me to my lord." He was going to take him for a slave, and never to let him return home; but he said that his brothers might go home.
And would they go and leave Benjamin behind?
"No," said they, we will go back with Benjamin." You see that they loved Benjamin, and that they would not leave him alone in his distress.
They put their sacks again on their asses, and followed the servant to Joseph's house. Their hearts were bursting with grief, and they cried as they went.
Joseph was in his house, waiting for them. Joseph was very glad to see them all come back with Benjamin, and to see them crying so much lest Benjamin should be kept to be a slave. Now, Joseph saw that they loved Benjamin very much.
When they saw Joseph, they fell on their faces on the ground.
Joseph spoke to them as if he was angry, and said, "What is this wicked thing that you have done?”
Do you remember that Judah had promised to take care of Benjamin? So Judah began to beg Joseph to forgive Benjamin.
Judah knew that it would be of no use to say that Benjamin had not taken the cup, so he only begged Joseph to take pity on them.
"God is punishing us for our sins," said Judah, "and we can say nothing; we must all be your slaves.”
"No," said Joseph, "not all, only he who stole the cup; he shall be my slave; let the others go back to their father.”
Joseph wanted to see whether the brothers would go back, and leave poor Benjamin to be a slave.
Judah then came nearer to Joseph, and began to beg for Benjamin with all his heart.
"Let me speak a word to my lord," said he,” and do not be angry with me, for I am as afraid of you as I am of the king. When we first came to buy corn, you asked us if we had a father and a brother, and we said, Yes; we had an old father, and a little brother that he loved very much indeed; and then you said that we must bring our brother to show you. Then we said we could not, because our father could not part with him; but you said we must bring him. So when we went back to our father, we told him what you had said, but he would not let Benjamin go. No,' said he, I had a dear child that I think was eaten up by a lion or a bear. If I let Benjamin go, perhaps some harm will happen to him, and then I shall die of grief, and these gray hairs will go down with sorrow to the grave.'
"Then I promised my father that I would take care of Benjamin. I cannot go home without him. If we were to go back without Benjamin, we should see our father die. Let me be your slave instead of Benjamin, and let him go home to his father; for I could not bear to see my father die of grief.”
Was it not kind of Judah to say this?
Joseph saw that Judah did indeed love Benjamin and his old father.
Joseph would tell his brothers who he was, and would tell them that he had forgiven them.
Joseph felt ready to burst into tears, yet he did not go out of the room to weep, as he had done before; but he said to all his servants, "Go out of the room," and Joseph was left alone with his brothers. He cried so loud, that all the servants heard him, though they were not in the room.
At last he said, "I am Joseph. Is my father yet alive?”
Were the brothers pleased? No, they were frightened—they could not speak, and they dared not come near him.
Joseph did not wish to frighten them; he longed to put his arms round them and kiss them.
He saw that they were unhappy at the thoughts of their wickedness in having sold him; so he tried to comfort them.
"Do not grieve because you sold me," said Joseph; "God let you do it, that I might save corn to feed your children. I wish you all to come and live with me here. You must bring my old father with you, and your children, and I will feed you all. Look at me, and you will see that I am indeed your own brother Joseph. It is my mouth that speaks to you. Go and tell my father what fine things I have in Egypt, and bring him here to live with me.”
This was the loving way in which Joseph spoke. Then he threw his arms round Benjamin's neck, and wept as he kissed him; and Benjamin wept too upon Joseph's neck. Afterward Joseph kissed all his brothers, and wept as he kissed each; and then his brothers no more felt afraid of him, but began to talk to him. They saw Joseph had quite forgiven them, and that he loved them with all his heart. They could not have expected such kindness, and it made them the more sorry for their own wickedness.
You see that Joseph did not make his brothers happy till he found that they were really sorry, and had left off their wickedness.
How like is Joseph to Jesus Christ, Who forgives us all our sins when we are really sorry You remember how He forgave that poor woman, who washed His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. She was sorry for all her sins, and Christ forgave her. 'My dear child, if you are sorry for your sins, Christ will forgive you.
Hymn 16
“Let him with whom the cup is found.
His blood to Joseph pay;
And let the rest as slaves be bound,
And here forever stay.”
These words the guiltless brethren said.
And on the ground each sack was spread.
"Not so," the servant straight replied,
“For this no blood shall flow;
But he who dared the cup to hide,
Shall into Slavery go";
Then searched the sacks that lay around—
In Benjamin's the cup is found.
How bitterly the brothers grieve!
What anguish they express!
Dear Benjamin they will not leave
Alone in his distress,
But with him to the city go,
And there unfold their tale of woe.
Now for the youth hear Judah plead!"
Long Since, a favorite Son
My father lost; his heart would bleed
To lose this youngest one.
Such grief would bring him to the grave
Let me instead become a slave.”
What generous love! Can this be he,
Whose heart was once like stone,
And Joseph's pangs unmoved could see,
When in the pit cast down?
What transport now sweet Joseph feels!
His name no longer he conceals.
Strangers may not the scene behold
When Joseph says, with tears,
“I am the brother whom ye sold,—
Yet calm your rising fears.”
And while each shares his fond embrace,
The voice of weeping fills the place.
With anguish sore their hearts must melt
Who Joseph's kindness Share,
To think they had so basely dealt
With such a brother rare;
While each forgiving word they hear,
Must make their crimes more black appear,
Child
Yet One there is more lovely far
Than aught on earth can be,
One brighter than the morning star,—
Yes—One Who died for me;
And oft have I His grace refused,
His name forgot, His love abused.
The more I of His goodness know,
The deeper is my shame,
That I so little love should show,
To His most blessed name.
How great my wonder then will be,
When His bright face in heaven I see