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away: all these things are against me.” Reuben answered, “Slay my
two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and
I will bring him to thee again.” This rash speech did not relieve the
mind of Jacob. His answer was, “My son shall not go down with you;
for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by
the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs
with sorrow to the grave.”
But the drought continued, and in process of time the supply of
grain that had been brought from Egypt was nearly exhausted. The
sons of Jacob well knew that it would be in vain to return to Egypt
without Benjamin. They had little hope of changing their father’s
resolution, and they awaited the issue in silence. Deeper and deeper
grew the shadow of approaching famine; in the anxious faces of all
in the encampment the old man read their need; at last he said, “Go
again, buy us a little food.”
Judah answered, “The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying,
Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt
send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: but if
thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us,
Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.” Seeing that
his father’s resolution began to waver, he added, “Send the lad with
me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we,
and thou, and also our little ones;” and he offered to be surety for his
brother and to bear the blame forever if he failed to restore Benjamin
to his father.
Jacob could no longer withhold his consent, and he directed his
sons to prepare for the journey. He bade them also take to the ruler
a present of such things as the famine-wasted country afforded—“a
little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds,”
also a double quantity of money. “Take also your brother,” he said,
“and arise, go again unto the man.” As his sons were about to depart
on their doubtful journey the aged father arose, and raising his hands
to heaven, uttered the prayer, “God Almighty give you mercy before
the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I
be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
Again they journeyed to Egypt and presented themselves before
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Joseph. As his eye fell upon Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he was
deeply moved. He concealed his emotion, however, but ordered that