traction and terror, and thought that very great danger hung over them; yet not at all reflecting upon their brother Joseph, and standing firm under the accusations laid against them, they made their defence by Keubel, the eldest of them, who now became their spokesman. "We come not hither," said he, with an unjust design, nor in order to bring any harm to the king's affairs; we only want to be preserved, as supposing your humanity might be a refuge for us from the misiries which our country labors under; we have heard that you proposed to sell corn, not only to your own countrymen, but to strangers also; and that you determined to allow that corn, in order to preserve all that want it. But that we are brethren, and of the same common blood, the peculiar lineaments of our face, and those not much different from one another, plainly shew. Our father's name is Jacob, an Hebrew; who had twelve sons, by four wives, which twelve of us, while we were all alive, were a happy family. But when one of our brethren, whose name was Joseph, died, our affairs changed for the worse; for our father could not forbear to make a long lamentation for him; and we are in affliction both by calamity of the death of our brother and the miserable state of our aged father. We are now, therefore, come to buy corn, having entrusted the care of our father, and the provision for our family, to Benjamin, our youngest brother; and if thou sendest to our house, thou mayest learn whether we are guilty of the least falsehood in what we say." third day he brought them out, and said to them, "Since you constantly affirm that you are not come to do any harm to the king's affairs; that you are brethren, and sons of the father whom you named, you will satisfy me of the truth of what you say, if you leave one of your company with me, who shall suffer no injury here; and if, when you have carried corn to your father, you will come to me again, and bring your brother, whom you say you left there, along with you, this shall be esteemed an assurance of the truth of what you have told me." Hereupon they were in greater grief than before; they wept, and perpetually deplored one among another the calamity of Joseph; and said, they were fallen into this misery as a punishment inflicted by God for the evil contrivances they had against him. And Reubel reproached them for their too late repentence, whence no profit arose to Joseph; and earnestly exhorted them to bear with patience whatever they suffered, since it was done by God in way of punishment on his account. Thus they spake to one another, not imagining that Joseph understood their language. A general sadness also seized on them at Reubel's words, and a repentance for what they had done; and they condemned the wickedness they had perpetrated, for which they judged they were justly punished by God. Now when Joseph saw that they were in this distress, he was so affected that he burst into tears; but not being willing that they should take notice of him, he retired, and after a while came to Thus did Reubel endeavour to persuade Jo- them again; and taking Simeon,* in order seph to have a better opinion of them; but to his being a pledge for his brethren's rewhen he had learned that Jacob was alive, turn; he bid them take the corn they had and that his brother was not destroyed by bought, and go their way. He also comthem, he, for the present, put them in prison;manded his steward privily to put the money as intending to examine more into the affairs when he should be at leisure. But on the nature. Nay, if they swear by the king's head, their oath is more authentic, and of greater credit, than if they swore by all that is most sacred in heaven and upon earth." * The reason why Simeon might be selected out of the rest for Joseph's prisoner, is plain in the Testament of Simeon, viz. that he was one of the bitterest of all Joseph's brethren against him, †There are two sorts of sacks taken notice of in the history of Joseph, which ought not to be confounded; which they had brought with them for the purchase of corn, into their sacks,† and to one for the corn, the other for the baggage. They are dismiss them therewith, who did as he was commanded. When Jacob's sons was come into the land of Canaan, they told their father what had happened to them in Egypt; and that they were taken to have come thither as spies upon the king; how they said they were brethren, and bad left their eleventh brother with their father, but were not believed; and that they had left Simeon with the governor until Benjamin should go thither, and be a testimonial of the truth of what they had said. They then begged of their father to fear nothing; but to send the lad along with them: but Jacob was not pleased with any thing his sons had done, and being grieved at the detention of Simeon, he thought it a foolish thing to give up Benjamin also. Neither did he yield to Reubel's persuasion, though he said that the grandfather might, in way of requital, kill his own sons, in case any harm came to Benjamin in the journey. So they were distrest, and knew not what to do. Nay, there was another accident that still disturbed them more the money that was found hidden in their sacks of corn. Yet when the corn they had brought failed them, and when the famine still afflicted them, and necessity forced them, Jacob did not still resolve to send Benjamin with his brethren; although there was no returning into Egypt unless they came with what they had promised. Now the misery growing every day worse, and his sons begging it of him, he had no other course to take in his present circumstances; and Judas, who was of a bold temper on other occasions, spake his mind very freely. He told him, that it did not become him to be afraid on account of his son, nor to suspect the worst, as he did; for nothing could be done to his son but by the appointment of God; which must also for certain come to pass though he were at home with him; that he ought not to condemn them to such manifest destruction, nor to deprive them of that plenty of food they might have from Pharaoh, by his unreasonable fear about his son Benjamin, but ought to take care of the preservation of Simeon; lest by attempting to hinder Benjamin's journey, * Gen. xliii. 12. Simeon should perish. He exhorted him to trust God for him; and said he would either bring his son back to him safe, or, together with his, lose his own life. So that Jacob was at length persuaded, and delivered Benjamin to them, with the price of the corn doubled ;* he also sent presents to Joseph, of the fruits of the land of Canaan; balsam,† and rosin, as also turpentine and honey. Now their father shed many tears at the departure of his sons, as well as themselves his concern was that he might receive them back again safe after their journey; and their concern was, that they might find their father well, and no way afflicted with the grief for them. And this lamentation lasted a whole day; so that the old man was at last tired with grief, and stayed behind; but they went on their way for Egypt, endeavouring to mitigate their grief for their present misfortunes, with the hopes of better success hereafter. As soon as they came into Egypt they were brought down to Joseph; but here no small fear disturbed them, lest they should be accused about the price of the corn, as if they had cheated Joseph. They therefore made a long apology to Joseph's steward, and told him that when they came home they found the money in their sacks; and that they had now brought it along with them. He said he did not know what they meant. So they were delivered from that fear. And when he had loosed Simeon, and put him into a handsome habit, he suffered him to be with his brethren at which time Joseph came from his attendance on the king. So they offered him their presents, and upon his putting the question to them about their father, they answered that they found him well. He also, upon his discovery that Benjamin was alive, asked, whether this was their youngest brother for they had not seen him. Whereupon they said he was; he replied, that the God over all was his protector. But when his affection made him shed tears, he retired, desiring he might not be seen in that state by his brethren. Then Joseph took them to supper; and they were seated in the same order as they used to sit at their father's table. + Of the precious balsam of Judea, and the turpentine, see note on VIII. 6. And And although Joseph treated them all kindly, yet did he send a mess to Benjamin, that was double* to what the rest of the guests had for their shares.† Now when after supper they had composed themselves to sleep, Joseph commanded his steward both to give them their measures of corn, and to hide its price again in their sacks; and withal they should put into Ben jamin's sack the golden cup out of which he himself used to drink. Which things he did in order to make trial of his brethren, whether they would stand by Benjamin when he should be accused of having stolen the cup, and should appear to be in danger; or whether they would leave him, and, depending on their own innocency, go to their father without him. When the servant had done as he was bidden, the sons of Jacob, knowing nothing of this, went their way, and took Simeon with them, and had a double cause of joy; both because they had received him again, and because they took back Benjamin to their father, as they had promised. But presently a troop of horsemen encompassed them, and brought with them Joseph's servant, who had put the cup into Benjamin's sack. Upon this unexpected attack they were much disturbed, and asked the reason why they came thus upon men, who a little before had been by their lord thought worthy of an honourable and hospitable reception? They replied, by calling them wicked wretches, who had forgot that very hospita * Five times as much. Heb. and Septuagint. + The reason which some assign for the Egyptians refusing to eat with the Hebrews, was their sacrificing some creatures which the Egyptians worshipped but though, in after ages, they certainly did worship several kinds of animals, yet there appears nothing from the story that they did so in Joseph's days; for their worship of the famous ox, called Apis, was a much later invention, as many learned men have demonstrated. It is much more likely, therefore, that this great abhorrence should be resolved into their different manner, both of dressing and eating their victuals. No people as Herodotus tells, (even where he treats of their manner of feasting, Euterpe, c. 28.) were more tenacious of their old customs than the Egyptians. They would not use those of any other nation whatever; and, therefore, the Hebrews were not the only people they had an aversion to. For (as the same historians informs us) an Egyptian man or woman would not kiss the mouth of a Greek, would not make use of a spit or a pot belonging to them; nor eat any meat that ble and kind treatment which Joseph had given them, and did not scruple to be injurious to him; and to carry off that cup out of which he had, in so friendly a manner, drank to them; regarding their friendship with Joseph no more than the danger they should be in if they were taken, in comparison of the unjust gain. Hereupon he threatened that they should be punished, for though they had es caped the knowledge of him, who was but a servant, yet had they not escaped the knowledge of God, nor had gone off with what they had stolen; and, after all, asked why they were pursued, as if they knew nothing of the matter; and he told them, that they should immediately know it by their punishment. This, and more of the same nature, did the servant say, in way of reproach; but they being wholly ignorant of any thing here that concerned them, laughed at what he said, and wondered at the abusive language which he gave them, when he was so hardy as to accuse those who did not before so much as retain the price of their corn, which was found in their sacks, but brought it again, though nobody else knew of any such thing; so far were they from offering any injury to Josephi voluntarily. But still, supposing that a search would be a more sure justification of themselves than their own denial of the fact, they bid him search them; and said, if any of them had been guilty of theft, he might punish them all; for being no way concious of any crime, they spake with assurance; and, as was cut with one of their knives. Patrick's and Le Clerc's Commentary. The manner of eating among the ancients was not for all the company to eat out of one and the same dish, but for every one to have one or more dishes to himself. The whole of these dishes were set before the mas❤ ter of the feast, and he distributed to every one his portion. As Joseph, however, is here said to have had a table to himself, we may suppose that he had a great variety of little dishes, or plates, set before him; and as it was a custom for great men to honour those who were in their favour by sending such dishes to them as were first served up to themselves. Joseph shewed that token of respect to his brethren: but, to express a particular value for Benjamin, he sent him five dishes to their one, which disproportion could not but be marvellous and astonishing to them, if what Herodotus tells us be true, l. 6. c. 27. viz. "That the distinction in this case, even to Egyptian kings themselves, in all public feasts and banquets, was no more than a double mess."- Patrick's Commentary, and Bibliotheca Bibl. B. they thought, without any danger to themselves. The servants desired there might be a search made; but they said, the punishment should extend to him alone who should be guilty of the theft. So they made the search; and having searched all the rest, they came at last to Benjamin, as knowing it was Benjamin's sack in which they had hidden the cup; they having searched the rest only for a shew of accuracy; so the rest were out of fear for themselves, and were now only concerned about Benjamin; but still were well assured that he would be also found innocent; and they reproached those that came after them for their hindering them, while they might have proceeded a good way on their journey, But as soon as the cup was found in Benjamin's sack, all was changed to mourning and lamentation. They rent their garments, and wept for the punishment which their brother was to undergo for his theft; and for the delusion they had put on their father, when they promised they would return Benjamin safe to him. What added to their misery was, that this melancholy accident came unfortunately at a time when they thought they had been gotten off clear. But they confessed that this misfortune of their brother, as well as the grief of their father for him, was owing to themselves; since they had forced their father to send him with them, when he was averse from it. 1 The horsemen therefore took Benjamin and brought him to Joseph, his brethren also following him, who, when he saw him in custody, and them in the habit of mourning, said, "How came you, vile wretches as you are, to have such a strange notion of my kindness to you, and of God's providence, as impudently to do thus to your benefactor, who in such an hospitable manner had entertained you ?" Hereupon they gave up themselves to be punished, in order to save Benjamin; and called to mind what wicked enterprise they had been guilty of against Joseph. They also pronounced him more happy than themselves, if he were dead, in being freed from *This oration seems too long, and too unusual a digression to have been composed by Joseph on this occasion. It seems to me a speech, or declamation, composed formally, in the person of Judas, and in the way the miseries of this life; and if he were alive, that he enjoyed the pleasure of seeing God's vengeance upon then. They said farther, that they were the plague of their father; since they should now add to his former grief for Joseph this other affliction for Benjamin. Reubel also was very severe upon this occasion. But Joseph dismissed them, for he said they had been guilty of no offence, and that he would content himself with the lad's punishment; for he said it was not proper to let him go free for the sake of those who had not offended; nor was it just to punish them together with him who had been guilty of stealing. When he promised to give them leave to go away in safety they were under great consternation, and were able to say nothing on this sad occasion; but Judas, who had persuaded their father to send the lad from him, being otherwise also a very bold and active man, determined to hazard himself for the preservation of his brother. "It is true," said he, "O governor, that we have been very wicked with regard to thee, and on that account deserve punishment; even all of us may justly be punished, although the theft was not committed by all, but only by one of us, and he the youngest also. But yet there remains some hope for us, who otherwise must be under despair on his account and this from thy goodness, which promises us a deliverance out of our present danger. And now I beg that thou wilt not look at us, or at that crime we have been guilty of, but at thy own excellent nature; and take advice of thine own virtue, intead of that wrath which those that otherwise are of a low character indulge, as they do their strength and that not only on great, but also on very trifling occasions. Overcome, Sir, that passion; and be not not subdued by it, nor suffer it to slay those that do not otherwise presume upon their own safety, but are desirous to accept of it from thee. For this is not the first time that thou wilt bestow it on us: but before, when we came to buy corn, thou affordest us great plenty of food, and gavest us leave to carry of oratory, that lay by him; and which he thought fit to insert on this occasion. See two more such speeches or declamations, VI. 14. the enjoyment of life,) have regard to our father, and take pity on his old age; on whose account it is that we make these supplications. We beg thou wilt give us those lives, which this wickedness of ours has rendered obnoxious to thy punishment; and this for his sake who is not himself wicked; nor does his being our father make us wicked. He is a good man, and not worthy to have such trials of his patience; now we are absent, he is afflicted with care for us. But if he hear of our deaths, and what was the cause of it, he will on that account die an immature death: and the reproachful manner of our ruin will hasten his end, and will directly kill him; nay, will bring him to a miserable death, while he will make haste to rid himself out of the world, and bring himself to a state of insensibility, before the sad story of our end come abroad into the rest of the world. home to our family, as much as he preserved them from perishing by famine. Nor is there any difference between not overlooking men that were perishing for want of necessaries, and not punishing those that seem to be offenders, and have been so unfortunate as to lose the advantage of that glorious benefaction which they received from thee. This will be an instance of equal favor, though bestowed after a different manner. For thou wilt save those this way, whom thou didst feed the other and thou wilt hereby preserve alive, by thy own bounty, those souls, which thou didst not suffer to be distressed by famine. It being indeed at once a wonderful and a great thing, to sustain our lives by corn, and to bestow on us that pardon, whereby, now we are distressed, we may continue those lives. And I am ready to suppose that God is willing to afford thee this opportunity of showing thy virtuous disposition, by bringing us into this ca"Consider things in this manner, although lamity, that it might appear thou canst forgive our wickedness does now provoke thee with the injuries that are done to thyself, and may-a just desire of punishing that wickedness; est be esteemed kind to others, besides those, and forgive it for our father's sake; and let who, on other accounts, stand in need of thy thy commiseration of him weigh more with assistance; since it is indeed a right thing to thee than our wickedness. Have regard to do well to those who are in distress for want the old age of our father, who, if we perish, of food; but still a more glorious thing to will be very lonely while he lives; and will save those who deserved to be punished, when soon die himself also. Grant this boon to the it is on account of heinous offences against name of father, for thereby thou wilt honor thyself. For if it be a thing deserving com-him that begat thee, and will grant it to thymendation to forgive such as have been guilty of small offences, that tend to a person's loss, and this be praiseworthy in him that overlooks such offences; to restrain a man's passion, as to the crimes which are capital to the guilty, is to be like the most excellent nature of God himself. And truly, as for myself, had it not been that we had a father, who had discovered, on occasion of the death of Joseph, how miserably he is always afflicted at the therefore, to bestow on us what God has given loss of his sons, I had not spoken on account us, when it is in thy power to take it away; of the saving our own lives: I mean any far-and so to resemble him entirely in charity. ther than as that would be an excellent cha-For it is good to use that power, which can racter for thyself, to preserve even those that either give or take away, on the merciful would have nobody to lament them when they side, and, when it is in thy power to destroy, were dead; but we would have yielded our-to forget that thou ever hadst that power, and selves up to suffer whatsoever thou pleasedst. But now, (for we do not plead for mercy to ourselves, though indeed, if we die, it will be while we are young, and before we have had self also, who enjoyest already that denomi- to look on thyself as only allowed power for preservation; and that the more any one extends this power, the greater reputation does he gain to himself. Now by forgiving our |