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Patriarchs and Prophets
God; if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house
of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: but
bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified,
and ye shall not die.” This proposition they agreed to accept, though
expressing little hope that their father would let Benjamin return with
them. Joseph had communicated with them through an interpreter, and
having no thought that the governor understood them, they conversed
freely with one another in his presence. They accused themselves in
regard to their treatment of Joseph: “We are verily guilty concerning
our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought
us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.”
Reuben, who had formed the plan for delivering him at Dothan, added,
“Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye
would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.” Joseph,
listening, could not control his emotions, and he went out and wept.
On his return he commanded that Simeon be bound before them and
again committed to prison. In the cruel treatment of their brother,
Simeon had been the instigator and chief actor, and it was for this
reason that the choice fell upon him.
Before permitting his brothers to depart, Joseph gave directions
that they should be supplied with grain, and also that each man’s money
should be secretly placed in the mouth of his sack. Provender for the
beasts on the homeward journey was also supplied. On the way one of
the company, opening his sack, was surprised to find his bag of silver.
On his making known the fact to the others, they were alarmed and
perplexed, and said one to another, “What is this that God hath done
unto us?”—should they regard it as a token of good from the Lord, or
had He suffered it to occur to punish them for their sins and plunge
them still deeper in affliction? They acknowledged that God had seen
their sins, and that He was now punishing them.
Jacob was anxiously awaiting the return of his sons, and on their
arrival the whole encampment gathered eagerly around them as they
related to their father all that had occurred. Alarm and apprehension
filled every heart. The conduct of the Egyptian governor seemed to
imply some evil design, and their fears were confirmed, when, as
they opened their sacks, the owner’s money was found in each. In
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his distress the aged father exclaimed, “Me have ye bereaved of my
children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin