THE MONEY IN THE SACKS.

65

behold it is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them. And he turned himself about from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spake with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way. And thus was it done unto them. And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the lodging-place, he espied his money; for, lo, it was in his sack's mouth. And he said to his brethren: My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack. And their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying: What is this that God hath done to us?

And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying The man, the lord of the land, spake roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country. And we said to him: We are true men; we are no spies. We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the land, said to us: Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren with me, and take corn for the famine of your houses, and be gone and bring your youngest brother unto me. Then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men; so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack and when they and their father

me.

But

saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. Jacob their father said to them: Me have ye bereaved of my children; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away. All these things are against And Reuben spake to his father, saying: Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee; deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. But Jacob said: My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If mischief befell him by the way in the which ye go, then should ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

CHAPTER IX.

GENESIS, xliii.-1.

JOSEPH, THE PATRIARCH (2d).

The Meeting with Benjamin-The Feast-The Divining Cup-Joseph Makes Himself Known-Israel in Egypt-Jacob Blesses Pha

raoh-Egyptians Sell Themselves for Corn-Death of JacobFear of the Brothers-Death of Joseph.

Now the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them: Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah spake to him, saying 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 to us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. And Israel said: Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? And they said: The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye a brother? And we answered him accordingly. Could we in any wise know that he would say, Bring your brother down? And Judah said to Israel his father: Send the lad with me, and let us arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him. If I bring him not unto thee, and set

him before thee, then let me bear the blame with thee for ever. Except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time. And their father Israel said to them: If it must be so, do this; take of the fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down a present to the man, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts and almonds and take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight. Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man; and God Almighty (El Shaddai) give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And I-if I be bereaved, I am bereaved.

Then the men took the present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house: Bring the men home, and slay, and make ready; for they shall dine with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph bade, and brought the men into Joseph's house. But they were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said: Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses. And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and spake to him at the door of the house, and said: O my lord, we came indeed down the first time to buy food; and it came to pass, when we were come to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: but we have

brought it again in our hand. And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food. We know not who put our money in our sacks. And he said: Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money.

Then he brought Simeon out unto them. And the man brought them into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon; for they heard that they should eat bread there. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand. into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them of their welfare, and said: Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? And they said: Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and said: Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spake to me? And he said God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste-for his heart did yearn upon his brother,and sought where to weep, and entered into his chamber, and wept there. Then he washed his face, and came out, and refrained himself, and said: Set on bread. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, who did eat with him, by themselves; because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. And when they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, they marvelled one with an