God caused a fear to rest upon the inhabitants of the land, so that they made no attempt to avenge the slaughter at Shechem. The travelers reached Bethel unmolested. Here the Lord again appeared to Jacob and renewed to him the covenant promise. “And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, even a pillar of stone.”Genesis 35:14.
(PP 206.1)
MC
VC
At Bethel, Jacob was called to mourn the loss of one who had long been an honored member of his father’s family—Rebekah’s nurse, Deborah, who had accompanied her mistress from Mesopotamia to the land of Canaan. The presence of this aged woman had been to Jacob a precious tie that bound him to his early life, and especially to the mother whose love for him had been so strong and tender. Deborah was buried with expressions of so great sorrow that the oak under which her grave was made, was called “the oak of weeping.”Genesis 35:8. It should not be passed unnoticed that the memory of her life of faithful service and of the mourning over this household friend has been accounted worthy to be preserved in the word of God.
(PP 206.2)
MC
VC
From Bethel it was only a two days’ journey to Hebron, but it brought to Jacob a heavy grief in the death of Rachel. Twice seven years’ service he had rendered for her sake, and his love had made the toil but light. How deep and abiding that love had been, was shown when long afterward, as Jacob in Egypt lay near his death, Joseph came to visit his father, and the aged patriarch, glancing back upon his own life, said, “As for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath.”Genesis 48:7. In the family history of his long and troubled life the loss of Rachel was alone recalled.
(PP 206.3)
MC
VC
Before her death Rachel gave birth to a second son. With her parting breath she named the child Benoni, “son of my sorrow.” But his father called him Benjamin, “son of my right hand,” or “my strength.” Rachel was buried where she died, and a pillar was raised upon the spot to perpetuate her memory. Genesis 35:18.
(PP 206.4)
MC
VC
On the way to Ephrath another dark crime stained the family of Jacob, causing Reuben, the first-born son, to be denied the privileges and honors of the birthright.
(PP 206.5)
MC
VC
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, buy us a little food.”Genesis 43:2.
(PP 227.1)
MC
VC
Judah answered, “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 unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.”Genesis 43:3~5. Seeing that his father’s resolution began to waver, he added, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones;”(Genesis 43:8) and he offered to be surety for his brother and to bear the blame forever if he failed to restore Benjamin to his father.
(PP 227.2)
MC
VC
Jacob could no longer withhold his consent, and he directed his sons to prepare for the journey. He bade them also take to the ruler a present of such things as the famine-wasted country afforded—“a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds,”(Genesis 43:11) also a double quantity of money. “Take also your brother,” he said, “and arise, go again unto the man.”Genesis 43:13. As his sons were about to depart on their doubtful journey the aged father arose, and raising his hands to heaven, uttered the prayer, “God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”Genesis 43:14.
(PP 227.3)
MC
VC
Again they journeyed to Egypt and presented themselves before Joseph. As his eye fell upon Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he was deeply moved. He concealed his emotion, however, but ordered that they be taken to his house, and that preparation be made for them to dine with him. Upon being conducted to the governor’s palace, the brothers were greatly alarmed, fearing that they were to be called to account for the money found in their sacks. They thought that it might have been intentionally placed there, to furnish occasion for making them slaves. In their distress they consulted with the steward of the house, relating to him the circumstances of their visit to Egypt; and in proof of their innocence informed him that they had brought back the money found in their sacks, also other money to buy food; and they added, “We cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.”Genesis 43:22. The man replied, “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.”Genesis 43:23. Their anxiety was relieved, and when Simeon, who had been released from prison, joined them, they felt that God was indeed gracious unto them.
(PP 227.4)
MC
VC
When the governor again met them they presented their gifts and humbly “bowed themselves to him to the earth.”Genesis 42:6. Again his dreams came to his mind, and after saluting his guests he hastened to ask, “Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?”Genesis 43:27. “Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive,”(Genesis 43:28) was the answer, as they again made obeisance. Then his eye rested upon Benjamin, and he said, “Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?”“God be gracious unto thee, my son;”(Genesis 43:29) but, overpowered by feelings of tenderness, he could say no more. “He entered into his chamber, and wept there.”Genesis 43:30.
(PP 228.1)
MC
VC
Having recovered his self-possession, he returned, and all proceeded to the feast. By the laws of caste the Egyptians were forbidden to eat with people of any other nation. The sons of Jacob had therefore a table by themselves, while the governor, on account of his high rank, ate by himself, and the Egyptians also had separate tables. When all were seated the brothers were surprised to see that they were arranged in exact order, according to their ages. Joseph “sent messes unto them from before him;”(Genesis 43:34) but Benjamin’s was five times as much as any of theirs. By this token of favor to Benjamin he hoped to ascertain if the youngest brother was regarded with the envy and hatred that had been manifested toward himself. Still supposing that Joseph did not understand their language, the brothers freely conversed with one another; thus he had a good opportunity to learn their real feelings. Still he desired to test them further, and before their departure he ordered that his own drinking cup of silver should be concealed in the sack of the youngest.
(PP 228.2)
MC
VC
Joyfully they set out on their return. Simeon and Benjamin were with them, their animals were laden with grain, and all felt that they had safely escaped the perils that had seemed to surround them. But they had only reached the outskirts of the city when they were overtaken by the governor’s steward, who uttered the scathing inquiry, “Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.”Genesis 44:5. This cup was supposed to possess the power of detecting any poisonous substance placed therein. At that day cups of this kind were highly valued as a safeguard against murder by poisoning.
(PP 229.1)
MC
VC
To the steward’s accusation the travelers answered, “Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: behold, the money, which we found in our sack’s mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should 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.”Genesis 44:8, 9.
(PP 229.2)
MC
VC
“Now also let it be according unto your words,” said the steward; “he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.”Genesis 44:10.
(PP 229.3)
MC
VC
The search began immediately. “They speedily took down every man his sack to the ground,”(Genesis 44:11) and the steward examined each, beginning with Reuben’s, and taking them in order down to that of the youngest. In Benjamin’s sack the cup was found.
(PP 229.4)
MC
VC
The brothers rent their garments in token of utter wretchedness, and slowly returned to the city. By their own promise Benjamin was doomed to a life of slavery. They followed the steward to the palace, and finding the governor yet there, they prostrated themselves before him. “What deed is this that ye have done?” he said. “Wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?”Genesis 44:15. Joseph designed to draw from them an acknowledgment of their sin. He had never claimed the power of divination, but was willing to have them believe that he could read the secrets of their lives.
(PP 229.5)
MC
VC
Judah answered, “What shall we say unto my Lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.”Genesis 44:16.
(PP 229.6)
MC
VC
“God forbid that I should do so,” was the reply; “but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.”Genesis 44:17.
(PP 230.1)
MC
VC
In his deep distress Judah now drew near to the ruler and exclaimed, “O 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.”Genesis 44:18. In words of touching eloquence he described his father’s grief at the loss of Joseph and his reluctance to let Benjamin come with them to Egypt, as he was the only son left of his mother, Rachel, whom Jacob so dearly loved. “Now therefore,” he said, “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; 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 grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; 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.”Genesis 44:30~34.
(PP 230.2)
MC
VC
Joseph was satisfied. He had seen in his brothers the fruits of true repentance. Upon hearing Judah’s noble offer he gave orders that all but these men should withdraw; then, weeping aloud, he cried, “I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?”Genesis 45:3.
(PP 230.3)
MC
VC
His brothers stood motionless, dumb with fear and amazement. The ruler of Egypt their brother Joseph, whom they had envied and would have murdered, and finally sold as a slave! All their ill treatment of him passed before them. They remembered how they had despised his dreams and had labored to prevent their fulfillment. Yet they had acted their part in fulfilling these dreams; and now that they were completely in his power he would, no doubt, avenge the wrong that he had suffered.
(PP 230.4)
MC
VC
Seeing their confusion, he said kindly, “Come near to me, I pray you;”(Genesis 45:4) and as they came near, he continued, “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.”Genesis 45:4, 5. Feeling that they had already suffered enough for their cruelty toward him, he nobly sought to banish their fears and lessen the bitterness of their self-reproach.
(PP 230.5)
MC
VC