patriarchs and prophets-第49节

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greater　trusts。　By　adherence　to　principle　in　the　transactions　of　ordinary
life；　the　mind　becomes　accustomed　to　hold　the　claims　of　duty　above　those　of
pleasure　and　inclination。　Minds　thus　disciplined　are　not　wavering　between
right　and　wrong；　like　the　reed　trembling　in　the　wind；　they　are　loyal　to　duty
because　they　have　trained　themselves　to　habits　of　fidelity　and　truth。　By
faithfulness　in　that　which　is　least　they　acquire　strength　to　be　faithful　in
greater　matters。

An　upright　character　is　of　greater　worth　than　the　gold　of　Ophir。　Without　it
none　can　rise　to　an　honorable　eminence。　But　character　is　not　inherited。　It
cannot　be　bought。　Moral　excellence　and　fine　mental　qualities　are　not　the
result　of　accident。　The　most　precious　gifts　are　of　no　value　unless　they　are
improved。　The　formation　of　a　noble　character　is　the　work　of　a　lifetime　and
must　be　the　result　of　diligent　and　persevering　effort。　God　gives
opportunities；　success　depends　upon　the　use　made　of　them。





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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　21

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Joseph　and　His　Brothers


At　the　very　opening　of　the　fruitful　years　began　the　preparation　for　the
approaching　famine。　Under　the　direction　of　Joseph；　immense　storehouses　were
erected　in　all　the　principal　places　throughout　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　ample
arrangements　were　made　for　preserving　the　surplus　of　the　expected　harvest。
The　same　policy　was　continued　during　the　seven　years　of　plenty；　until　the
amount　of　grain　laid　in　store　was　beyond　computation。

And　now　the　seven　years　of　dearth　began　to　come；　according　to　Joseph's
prediction。　〃And　the　dearth　was　in　all　lands；　but　in　all　the　land　of　Egypt
there　was　bread。　And　when　all　the　land　of　Egypt　was　famished；　the　people
cried　to　Pharaoh　for　bread：　and　Pharaoh　said　unto　all　the　Egyptians；　Go　unto
Joseph；　what　he　saith　to　you；　do。　And　the　famine　was　over　all　the　face　of
the　earth：　and　Joseph　opened　all　the　storehouses；　and　sold　unto　the
Egyptians。〃

The　famine　extended　to　the　land　of　Canaan　and　was　severely　felt　in　that　part
of　the　country　where　Jacob　dwelt。　Hearing　of　the　abundant　provision　made　by
the　king　of　Egypt；　ten　of　Jacob's　sons　journeyed　thither　to　purchase　grain。
On　their　arrival　they　were　directed　to　the　king's　deputy；　and　with　other
applicants　they　came　to　present　themselves　before　the　ruler　of　the　land。　And
they　〃bowed　down　themselves　before　him　with　their　faces　to　the　earth。〃
〃Joseph　knew　his　brethren；　but　they　knew　not　him。〃　His　Hebrew　name　had　been
exchanged　for　the　one　bestowed　upon　him　by　the　king；　and　there　was　little
resemblance　between　the　prime　minister　of　Egypt　and　the　stripling　whom　they
had　sold　to　the　Ishmaelites。　As　Joseph　saw　his　brothers　stooping　and　making
obeisance；　his　dreams　came　to　his　mind；　and　the　scenes　of　the　past　rose
vividly　before　him。　His　keen　eye；　surveying　the　group；　discovered　that
Benjamin　was　not　among　them。　Had　he　also　fallen

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a　victim　to　the　treacherous　cruelty　of　those　savage　men？　He　determined　to
learn　the　truth。　〃Ye　are　spies；〃　he　said　sternly；　〃to　see　the　nakedness　of
the　land　ye　are　come。〃

They　answered；　〃Nay；　my　lord；　but　to　buy　food　are　thy　servants　come。　We　are
all　one　man's　sons；　we　are　true　men；　thy　servants　are　no　spies。〃　He　wished
to　learn　if　they　possessed　the　same　haughty　spirit　as　when　he　was　with　them；
and　also　to　draw　from　them　some　information　in　regard　to　their　home；　yet　he
well　knew　how　deceptive　their　statements　might　be。　He　repeated　the　charge；
and　they　replied；　〃Thy　servants　are　twelve　brethren；　the　sons　of　one　man　in
the　land　of　Canaan；　and；　behold；　the　youngest　is　this　day　with　our　father；
and　one　is　not。〃

Professing　to　doubt　the　truthfulness　of　their　story；　and　to　still　look　upon
them　as　spies；　the　governor　declared　that　he　would　prove　them；　by　requiring
them　to　remain　in　Egypt　till　one　of　their　number　should　go　and　bring　their
youngest　brother　down。　If　they　would　not　consent　to　this；　they　were　to　be
treated　as　spies。　But　to　such　an　arrangement　the　sons　of　Jacob　could　not
agree；　since　the　time　required　for　carrying　it　out　would　cause　their
families　to　suffer　for　food；　and　who　among　them　would　undertake　the　journey
alone；　leaving　his　brothers　in　prison？　How　could　he　meet　his　father　under
such　circumstances？　It　appeared　probable　that　they　were　to　be　put　to　death
or　to　be　made　slaves；　and　if　Benjamin　were　brought；　it　might　be　only　to
share　their　fate。　They　decided　to　remain　and　suffer　together；　rather　than
bring　additional　sorrow　upon　their　father　by　the　loss　of　his　only　remaining
son。　They　were　accordingly　cast　into　prison；　where　they　remained　three　days。

During　the　years　since　Joseph　had　been　separated　from　his　brothers；　these
sons　of　Jacob　had　changed　in　character。　Envious；　turbulent；　deceptive；
cruel；　and　revengeful　they　had　been；　but　now；　when　tested　by　adversity；　they
were　shown　to　be　unselfish；　true　to　one　another；　devoted　to　their　father；
and；　themselves　middle…aged　men；　subject　to　his　authority。

The　three　days　in　the　Egyptian　prison　were　days　of　bitter　sorrow　as　the
brothers　reflected　upon　their　past　sins。　Unless　Benjamin　could　be　produced
their　conviction　as　spies　appeared　certain；　and　they　had　little　hope　of
gaining　their　father's　consent　to　Benjamin's　absence。　On　the　third　day
Joseph　caused　the　brothers　to　be　brought　before　him。　He　dared　not　detain
them　longer。

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Already　his　father　and　the　families　with　him　might　be　suffering　for　food。
〃This　do；　and　live；〃　he　said；　〃for　I　fear　God；　if　ye　be　true　men；　let　one　of
your　brethren　be　bound　in　the　house　of　your　prison：　go　ye；　carry　corn　for
the　famine　of　your　houses：　but　bring　your　youngest　brother　unto　me；　so　shall
your　words　be　verified；　and　ye　shall　not　die。〃　This　proposition　they　agreed
to　accept；　though　expressing　little　hope　that　their　father　would　let
Benjamin　return　with　them。　Joseph　had　communicated　with　them　through　an
interpreter；　and　having　no　thought　that　the　governor　understood　them；　they
conversed　freely　with　one　another　in　his　presence。　They　accused　themselves
in　regard　to　their　treatment　of　Joseph：　〃We　are　verily　guilty　concerning　our
brother；　in　that　we　saw　the　anguish　of　his　soul；　when　he　besought　us；　and　we
would　not　hear；　therefore　is　this　distress　come　upon　us。〃　Reuben；　who　had
formed　the　plan　for　delivering　him　at　Dothan；　added；　〃Spake　I　not　unto　you；
saying；　Do　not　sin　against　the　child；　and　ye　would　not　hear？　therefore；
behold；　also　his　blood　is　required。〃　Joseph；　listening；　could　not　control
his　emotions；　and　he　went　out　and　wept。　On　his　return　he　commanded　that
Simeon　be　bound　before　them　and　again　committed　to　prison。　In　the　cruel
treatment　of　their　brother；　Simeon　had　been　the　instigator　and　chief　actor；
and　it　was　for　this　reason　that　the　choice　fell　upon　him。

Before　permitting　his　brothers　to　depart；　Joseph　gave　directions　that　they
should　be　supplied　with　grain；　and　also　that　each　man's　money　should　be
secretly　placed　in　the　mouth　of　his　sack。　Provender　for　the　beasts　on　the
homeward　journey　was　also　supplied。　On　the　way　one　of　the　company；　opening
his　sack；　was　surprised　to　find　his　bag　of　silver。　On　his　making　known　the
fact　to　the　others；　they　were　alarmed　and　perplexed；　and　said　one　to
another；　〃What　is　this　that　God　hath　done　unto　us？〃should　they　regard　it
as　a　token　of　good　from　the　Lord；　or　had　He　suffered　it　to　occur　to　punish
them　for　their　sins　and　plunge　them　still　deeper　in　affliction？　They
acknowledged　that　God　had　seen　their　sins；　and　that　He　was　now　punishing
them。

Jacob　was　anxiously　awaiting　the　return　of　his　sons；　and　on　their　arrival
the　whole　encampment　gathered　eagerly　around　them　as　they　related　to　their
father　all　that　had　occurred。　Alarm　and　apprehension　filled　every　heart。　The
conduct　of　the　Egyptian　governor　seemed　to　imply　some　evil　design；　and　their
fears　were　confirmed；　when；　as　they　opened　their　sacks；　the　owner's　money

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was　found　in　each。　In　his　distress　the　aged　father　exclaimed；　〃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　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；　but　us　a　little　food。〃

Judah　answered；　〃The　man　did　solemnly　protest　unto　us；　saying；　Ye　shall　n