BENJAMIN 23

middle of the feast the great man who’is their host sends messes or portions to each of
them as a mark of honour, but to Benjamin he sends five-times as much as to any of the
others. Perhaps they wonder why he does so, but they do not envy him. They have
learned how bitter a thing envy is and what misery it always brings with it.

And when the banquet:is over they set out for home. Their hearts are glad, for things
have turned out so much better than they had expected. The governor has treated them
kindly and spoken gently to them and their sacks are filled with corn. Simeon has been
brought out of prison and Benjamin is safe. But before they have gone very far a
messenger overtakes them. What can he want? They can hardly believe their ears when
he tells them that the governor’s silver cup out of which he drank at the banquet is
missing and they are suspected of having taken it.

But they know they are innocent, they have not got the cup. “God forbid that thy
servants should do according to this thing,” they say as at once they take down the sacks
off the asses and open their mouths. But what must be their feelings when on opening
Benjamin’s sack there is the cup in its mouth! How wretched they are as they turn back

again! How downcast as they find themselves in Joseph’s presence! What shall they do

or say? And then Judah speaks out like a brave man. He cannot explain how the cup
came in Benjamin’s sack, but one thing he asks. If the governor will only let Benjamin
go back to his old father he will take his place. “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?”

But just as the night is blackest just before daybreak, so when they have given up all
hope their troubles are at an end, everything turns out well. The governor sends out all
the rest of the people and then turning to them he says, “I am Joseph.whom ye sold into
Egypt.” Oh, how wonderful it seems! It is too good to be true. But he tells them how
God took care of him when they:sold him to be a slave, and how he had prospered and
become the ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. And then “he fell on his brother
Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin fell on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his
brethren and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.”

And once again they all set out for the land of Canaan, and they take with them pieces of
silver and changes of raiment which Joseph has given them and a present of corn and
bread. and meat, and the good things of Egypt which Joseph has sent to his, father, and
there are waggons too, for they are all to come back, the old father and their wives and little

- ones, and: dwell in the land of Egypt. ;

What a glad meeting that must have been betweén the old man and Benjamin as he
held him in his arms again! With what joyful surprise he hears the news that Joseph is
yet alive, and governor over all the land of Egypt. .No wonder he cannot believe what
they tell him, until, when he sees the -waggons Joseph has sent to carry him and his
belongings, his spirit revives and he cries, “It is enough: Joseph, my son, is yet alive: ]
will go and see him before I die.”