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CHAP. XLIV.

Joseph's brethren were merry with him, and little expected to be in those circumstances in which this chapter finds them; but it was his policy, in order to detain and try them.

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ND he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks [with] food, as much as they can 2 carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. And put my cup, the large, valuable cup which I drink out of, even the silver cup that is embossed, or wrought, as the original signifies, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. Hereby Joseph meant to try his brethren's affection to Benjamin, and to their father, and whether they would 3 assist him in his extremity. As soon as the morning was 4 light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. [And] when they were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the,men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? He charges them with ingrat15 itude and then with theft: [Is] not this cup which ye have taken, [it] in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? or, as in the margin of our bibles, maketh trial; he left this cup in your way to try your honesty; ye have done evil in so doing; it was wicked to steal it, and foolish to attempt it, because my master would soon miss it, and easily conjecture where it was gone.

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And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same 7 words. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: thus vindicating themselves with eagerness, 8 and then urging the former proof of their honesty; Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should 9 we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen. This was honestly, but not 10 prudently said. And he said, Now also [lét] it [be] according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless, free from punishment, 11 and at liberty to return home unmolested. Then they speedily

took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened 12 every man his sack. And he searched [and] began at the eldest, and left at the youngest and the cup was found in 3 Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city; thinking that Joseph, being a man of generosity, and humanity, would for

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give Benjamin, when he saw another brother willing to become his slave.

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he [was] yet there and they fell before him on the ground. 15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed [is] this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine, or, make trial? that I, who foretold this famine, could 16 not easily find out such a cheat? And Judah, beginning abruptly, said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? And, after a pause, added, God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants, of one of us, though the rest be free: behold, we [are] my lord's servants, both we, and [he] also with whom the cup is found; we are all in thy hands, to do with us as seemeth good 17 in thy sight. And he said, God forbid that I should do so : [but] the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get ye up in peace unto your father, without any prejudice to your persons or goods. He might say this, to try Benjamin's temper, and how he would bear such an affliction, as well as his brethren's affection to him and to his father.

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Then Judah, being particularly concerned because he had undertaken for Benjamin, came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou [art] even as Pharaoh, in his room and stead, whose dis19 pleasure therefore is equally to be feared. My lord asked his 20 servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one, the youngest; and his brother is dead, torn to pieces, and he alone is left of his mother Rachel, and his father loveth him. Joseph would perceive by this account what a lie they had told their father concerning him, 21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him, or, show him favour. 22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father:

for [if] he should leave his father, [his father] would die. 23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest

brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. 24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my 25 father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father 26 said, Go again, [and] buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down for we may not see the man's face, 27 except our youngest brother [be] with us. And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that Rachel my wife bare 28 me two [sons.] And the one went out from me, and I said, 29 Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: And

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if ye take this also from me, and mischief befal him, ye shall 30 bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore 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, that his life and his all depends upon the welfare of the lad: 31 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 32 grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear 33 the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; 34 and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad [be] not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. Thus Judah urges the grief it would be to the old man, offers to be Joseph's slave, instead of Benjamin, as he could do him more service, and pleads the insupportable distress that his aged father would suffer, if Benjamin did not return with his breth ren.*

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REFLECTIONS.

OD sometimes brings his people into the greatest distress, when deliverance is nearest. So here: they had given up all, thought there was no hope; but the time of favour was come. In the mount of difficulty God is seen. See how good it is to hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of God.

2. It is good to acknowledge our iniquity, when the afflicting hand of God is upon us; as Joseph's brethren did, v. 16. Afflictions are designed to bring our sin to remembrance, and engage us to consider it, and be humble for it; the fruit of affliction is to take away sin. Let us acknowledge our guilt in such circumstances; and pray, like Job, Show me wherefore thou contendest with me; wherein I have done iniquity, I will do so no more.

3. See here an example of filial tenderness. Judah chose rather to be a slave all his days, than go home, and see the evil that would come upon his aged father. Children should learn to love their parents, to be tender of their comforts, and do nothing to grieve them. Those are very wicked children who are a grief to their father and heaviness to their mother: they can never sufficiently repay their tenderness and care toward them, and

• This address must undoubtedly have affected a stranger, more especially Joseph, and produced that effect of which the next chapter gives an account. It is impossible to read it without perceiving it full of the most natural eloquence, and extremely well adapted to excite Joseph's compassion. It is remarkable he does not acknowledge the crime, for that would have reflected on Benjamin; nor does he deny it, which would have reflected on Joseph's justice; but he labours to move his pity, and that in language that no art or impostor could have imitated, but seems plainly suggested by that Spirit which giveth speech and wisdom to men.

therefore should labour to make their cares easy, and their bure dens light; and especially should give them the high satisfaction of seeing them walking in truth.

4. We should not despair of reformation even in those whose characters are the worst. Judah had been a scandal to Jacob's family; but here he seems greatly reformed, full of humility, tenderness, and compassion, and a regard to his promise. Young men oftentimes grow wiser as they grow older; and God makes use of afflictions to humble and reform them. Let us not give up all hopes even of the worst, but labour to make them better; and God may, in his good time, add his blessing to our constant endeavours.

5. We see how happy it is to maintain a circumspect regard to truth. This gave them so much confidence in what they said to the steward, and in their plea before Joseph. If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence both toward God and man. Integrity and uprightness, if maintained, will preserve us ; let us therefore labour to secure these for our rejoicing; and in simplicity and godly sincerity to have our conversation in the world.

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Solomon observes, Prov. XXV. 25. 'As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a fur country. This observation is illustrated by the tidings that Jacob and his sons received of Joseph. The last chapter closed with Judah's speech: in this we have the effect of it; it touched Joseph's heart, and put an end to all the sufferings of his brethren.

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HEN Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren: that so he might conceal his brethren's fault, and not render himself contemptible to the Egyptians by his excessive tears, and familiar and 2 affectionate converse with his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard; some who were near overheard him and carried the intelligence to 3 Pharaoh's court. And Joseph, unable to contain himself any longer, said unto his brethren, I [am] Joseph. This must strike them with astonishment. Wonder, doubt, reverence, joy, fear, hope, and guilt, (says Bp. Hall) all must strike them at once. Joseph adds, Doth my father yet live? can I believe the account you have given me ? and his brethren could not answer him; they stood before him with paleness and silence, looking on him and each other; for they were troubled, or tere

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rified, at his presence, through a sense of guilt, fear of punishment, and the strangeness of the event. And Joseph, to raise their courage, said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you, with cheerfulness and confidence. And they came near. And he said, I [am] Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. I mention this not to upbraid you, but to as*› sure you that I am he, and that I still own the relation, notwithstanding my dignity and your wickedness. He then takes the kindest method to remove their fears, by leading them to observe the wisdom and goodness of Providence in this events 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life; both your lives and the lives of all the people in 6 this and the neighbouring countries. For these two years fhath] the famine [been] in the land and yet [there are}] five years, in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor 7 harvest, ploughing, nor tillage. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance, brought about by a wonderful and 8 extraordinary work of providence. So now [it was] not so much you [that] sent me hither, but God, who turned it to good and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt; his principal counsellor of state, to guide his affairs with a fatherly care, and to have the authority, respect and power of a 9 father with him. Haste ye and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me 10 lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and 11 thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast :* And there will I nourish thee; for yet [there are] five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to 12 poverty. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth that speaketh unto 13 you, in your own language, and not by an interpreter. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

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And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept ; 15 and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them and after that his brethren talked with him freely and familiarly; being encouraged by his kindness, they acknowledged their guilt, and told him what had happened since he was absent from the family.

Goshen lay near to Canaan, on the northeast part of Egypt. It was a rich land, good for feeding cattle, a proper distance from the court, where they would not be so likely to be enerupted, and might more easily return when the famine was ended.

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