22 BENJAMIN
do. He can ask God to take care of his darling son and bring him safe home again. Ah,
little does he think what wonderful things will happen before he sees Benjamin again.

Shall we follow the brothers and see what becomes of them ?

They make their way as fast as they can, but they are very careful of their youngest
brother. They are changed since the day they hated Joseph and sold him as a slave to get
rid of him. After some days’ journeying they find themselves at the palace of the great
lord of Egypt. They are taken into his house and are told to their astonishment they are
to dine with him at noon No wonder they are fearful and think they are going to be
made his bondmen. But the steward tells them not to be afraid. “Peace be unto you,”
he says, as he brings Simeon out of the prison to them, and gives them water to wash their
feet and provender for their asses. At last the governor comes in and they bow them-

   

 

 

selves to him to the earth, and he asks, “Is your father well?” and then turning to
Benjamin says, “Is this your younger brother of whom ye spake unto me? God be
gracious unto thee, my son.” . How little they thought that this great man was Joseph,
the brother they had ill-treated in their hatred and envy. But he had known them
directly he saw them the first time they had come for corn. ~ Oh, how he longed to take
Benjamin in his arms and kiss him, for he loved him dearly ; but the time was not yet
come ; he must wait a little longer. So he leaves them and entering into his chamber
weeps there for joy at seeing his loved brother once again after all these long years.

And now the banquet begins. It is held in the great hall of the palace where
Joseph lives. How strange it must all have seemed to the men. On a raised platform the
governor is seated by himself, at another table are the Egyptians, while they are placed by
themselves, because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews. And in the