Joseph and His Brothers
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The brothers rent their garments in utter wretchedness and slowly
returned to the city. By their own promise, Benjamin was doomed
to slavery. They followed the steward to the palace, and finding the
governor yet there, 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.
Judah answered, “What shall we say unto my lord? what 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.”
Judah’s Plea
In his distress, Judah drew near the ruler. Eloquently 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,
Rachel, whom Jacob so dearly loved. “Now therefore,” he said, “when
I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing
that his life is bound up in the lad’s life; it shall come to pass, when
he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants
shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow
to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father,
saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to
my father forever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide
instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his
brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with
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me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.”
Joseph was satisfied. He had seen in his brothers the fruits of true
repentance. He gave orders that all but these men should withdraw.
Then, weeping aloud, he cried, “I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?”