Benjamin had come, and immediately a natural change took place in Joseph's conduct : the brother began to claim his rights in Joseph's bosom. Jacob was safe, and Benjamin was safe. Joseph's heart melted at the sight of Benjamin : And he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay and make ready, for these men shall dine with me at noon ' (xliii. 16). But guilt is always the ready parent of fear. Accordingly the brothers expected nothing but being reduced to slavery. When taken to their own brother's house they ima gined they were being entrapped. A colloquy en sued between them and Joseph's steward, whence it appeared that the money put into their sacks, to which they now attributed their peril, was in truth a present from Joseph, designed, after his own brotherly manner, to aid his family in their actual necessities. The steward said, Peace be to you, fear not : your God and the God of your father hath given you the treasure in your sacks. I had your money' (ver. 23).
Noon came, and with it Joseph, whose first ques tion regarded home : He asked them of their welfare, and said, Ts your father well, the old man of whom ye spake ? is he yet alive? And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother ? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son I" And Joseph made haste, for his bowels did yearn upon his brother, and he sought where to weep, and he entered into his chamber and wept there.' Does this look like harshness ? The connection brings into view an Egyptian custom, which is of more than ordinary importance, in consequence of its being adopted in the Jewish polity : And they set on (food) for him by him self ( Joseph), and for them by themselves (the brethren), and for the Egyptians which did eat I with them, by themselves : because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination with the Egyptians ' (ver. 32). This pa.ssage is also interesting, as proving that Joseph had not, in his princely grandeur, become ashamed of his origin, nor consented to receive adoption into a strange nation : he was still a Hebrew, waiting, like Moses after him, for the proper season to use his power for the good of his own people.
I Other customs appear in ttas interesting narra tive : And they (the brothers) sat before him (Joseph), the first-born according. to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth."And he sent messes (delicacies) unto them from before him ; but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs ' (ver. 32, 33). Fear had now given place to wonder, and wonder at length issued in joy and mirth (comp. ver. IS, 33, 34).
Thus ended the second act in the drama. Another now opens.
Joseph, apparently with a view to ascertain how far his brethren were faithful to their father, hit upon a plan which Avould in its issue serve to shew whether they would make any, and what, sacrifice, in order to fulfil their solemn promise of restoring Benjamin in safety to Jacob. Accordingly he orders not only that every man's money (as before) should be put in his sack's mouth, but also that his silver cup, in which my lord drinketh, and whereby he divineth,' should be put in the sack's mouth of the youngest. The brethren leave, but are soon overtaken by Joseph's steward, who charges tbem with having surreptitiously carried off this costly and higbly-valued vessel. They on their part vehemently repel the accusation, adding, With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bond men.' A search is made, and the cup is found in Benjamin's sack. Accordingly they return to the city. And now comes the hour of trial : Would they purchase their own liberation by surrendering Benjamin ? After a most touching interview, in which they prove themselves worthy and faithful, Joseph declares himself unable any longer to with stand the appeal of natural affection. On this oc casion Judah, who is the spokesman, shews the deepest regard to his aged father's feelings, and entreats for the liberation of Benjamin even at the price of his own liberty. In the whole of litera ture we know of nothing more simple, natural, true, and impressive ; nor, while passages of this kind stand in the Pentateuch, can we even under stand what is meant by terming that collection of writings the Hebrew national epic,' or regarding it as an aggregation of historical legends. If here we have not history, we can in no case be sure that history is before us (xliv.) Most natural and impressive is the scene also which ensues, in which Joseph, after informing his brethren who he was, and inquiring, first of all, Is my father alive ?' expresses feelings free from the slightest taint of revenge, and even shews how, under Divine Providence, the conduct of his brothers had issued in good—` God sent me before you to preserve a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.' Five years had yet to ensue in which there would be neither tearing, nor harvest ;' and therefore the brethren were directed to return home and bring Jacob down to Egypt with all speed. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept ; and Ben jamin wept upou his neck. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them ; and after that his brethren talked with him ' (xlv. 14, is).