|
Bible History of the Old Testament |
||
|
No. 26 Joseph's Brothers Arrive in Egypt to Buy Corn - Joseph Tries His Brothers Part 2
(To read the first part of this text, please go to the Home Page above and then to the Bible History Archives Page at my site). The brothers had put off going back to Egypt as long as they possibly could, but as their grain became low it became absolutely necessary to go back. The old man now had to make the decision that he had been dreading for so long. He couldn't let his whole family starve, so he had to send Benjamin along with them the next time. He thought that maybe it was an oversight that they had left the money in the bags of grain. Then he also thought that since there was a famine, that he would send them extra "a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds." He put the money back into their sacks along with the extras and sent Benjamin and all the rest of the brothers to Egypt. He remained alone, just as he had been years before at the fords of Jabbok, when his life was so uncertain. It must be for certain that the brothers were extremely nervous as they came into Egypt. They must have felt somewhat like Joseph had years before as the course of his life would be so uncertain. Joseph saw his brothers and saw a younger man with them whom he judged to be Benjamin. When he had been sold into Egypt, Benjamin had only been a year old. Joseph probably couldn't have trusted himself to talk to his brothers just yet, so he gave his steward orders to take them to his house and dine with him at noon. He probably had to have some time to regain his composure. He had given the steward orders in Egyptian, which it seems his brothers did not understand. When they saw that they were being brought to Joseph's house, they immediately must have thought that he was charging them with theft of the money that had been put back in their bags. The steward allayed their fears, though, with his kind words. Then they saw Simeon, and that must have given them some more confidence. Preparations were made for the banquet. It must have been a deeply emotional time for Joseph and images of years before flashed through his mind as they laid out their gifts to him in true oriental fashion. Then they lowly bowed themselves down to him. He inquired repeatedly about his father, and they told him that their father was well and at home. Then he set his eyes on Benjamin, his own mother's son, and he had to hastily withdraw. Twenty two years had passed since he had been taken from his brother, and now Benjamin stood before him only a little older than when he himself had been taken into bondage. Joseph was still not sure, though, if his brothers had truly changed in their hearts. Because of his vast responsibilities now, he had to make sure that they wouldn't trick him in any way. At the banquet, some surprises awaited the sons of Jacob. According to their traditions, Joseph and the brothers ate separately. We know from traditional history that the Egyptians abstained from certain kinds of meat, and did not eat with knives and forks, nor from the cooking utensils which had been used by those of any other nation. The brothers must have been astounded, though, that their places at the table were arranged in order of their ages. Also, at home Benjamin had always been favored, and here it was the same thing. Benjamin got five times as much on his plate as the other brothers. This act seems to be a practice that was observed for princes and rulers at the time. The banquet itself passed pleasantly, though, and early the next morning all the eleven brothers were on their way back to Canaan. Joseph had given his steward special instructions, though. As before, he was to put each man's money back into the sacks. Besides that, he had also placed in Benjamin's sack, Joseph's own cup, or silver bowl. The brothers had not traveled far when the steward caught up with them. He told them how ungrateful they were to steal the money, and to even steal the silver cup that his lord used. All the great sages of Egypt at the time had a silver bowl like this that they used for divination. After they placed gems or gold in the water, sometimes unknown events appeared in reflection from the water - with or without magical incantations. Similar practices still prevail in Egypt. This charge from the steward took the brothers by complete surprise. In their total innocence, they offered that whoever was found guilty would give his life, and the rest of them would surrender their liberty if the cup were found among any of their belongings. The steward had been instructed to isolate Benjamin from the rest, and he said that death was not necessary, but he would only retain the guilty party as a bondsman. The search was made and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. It was at this point that Joseph's test would show their true feelings and if they had changed over the years. Only Benjamin would be retained and the rest of them were free to go home to their families. This would have been their perfect opportunity to get rid of Benjamin just as they had Joseph so many years before. After all, their father had favored him all these years over them. They could have reasoned about why they should destroy their lives and the lives of their families over one who was so favored above them. Instead of reasoning, though, they "rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city." They had passed the first test, and the second and final one was to commence. When they got back to Joseph, "they fell before him on the ground" in grief. Judah is the one who spoke the words that were uppermost in his heart: "God hath found out the iniquity of thy servant." All these years it had been eating away at them what they had done, and now they felt that they must be paying for it. They couldn't leave Benjamin in this undeserved bondage, because they knew that they were really the cause of this sorrow. Judah now spoke up in a tender broken voice and told Joseph everything that had gone on since the first time they had come to Egypt to buy grain. Then he offered himself as the bondsmen, because he said that he couldn't bear to go back and see his father when they told him that Benjamin would never come back to him. He knew that it would literally kill him and he couldn't bear that. Judah had been the one that promised Jacob that he would bring Benjamin back. Martin Luther said that he would love to be able to pray before the Lord as Judah here interceded for Benjamin. He felt that this was the strong feeling that should underlie all prayer. With this last trial past, Joseph could not refrain himself any longer. He called for everybody to leave the room except his brothers. Then with much tenderness and affection, he made himself known to them as the brother whom they had sold into Egypt. He told them that in reality God had sent him on before them for the purpose of saving their lives, and preserving their prosperity, so that His Will might be accomplished in all the world. Joseph had to tell them three times that he forgave them for what they had done to him before they could derive any comfort again. Now he had one object in view, and that was to bring his brothers and father to Egypt so that he could care for them for the rest of the five years left of the famine. In this purpose he was helped by Divine Providence. When news of what had happened reached Pharaoh, he was pleased with Joseph, and out of his own generosity offered to send his own "wagons" and move Joseph's family to Egypt. When the brothers went back, Joseph sent rich gifts to his father so that he could know that what they told him was true. When the eleven brothers returned home and told him the news, "the heart of Jacob fainted, for he believed them not." But as he saw all the Egyptian "wagons" arriving, his spirit seemed to revive, and he believed what they had told him. It seemed that the past with all its sins and sorrows, was blotted out from his memory. Once more it was not Jacob who spoke, but Israel when he said "It is enough, Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die." For more information from this book, go to the Archives Page at my site www.cathydeaton.com There are other articles of information there also. This text is taken from the book Bible History Old Testament written by Alfred Edersheim. This book has been used by permission.
|