The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 3 · Section 40
SECT. XL.
THe Famine continuing ſore in the Land of Canaan, and they having almoſt ſpent the Corn and Proviſions they had before brought out of Egypt, Jacob ſpake to his Sons to go down again thither to buy Food.
Judah told him, The Governour of the Country did ſolemnly proteſt to them they ſhould not ſee his face except they brought their youngeſt Brother with them, and they durſt not by any means go without him. (l)V. 8. The lad Benjamin was now about 27 years of age, being 12 or 13 years younger then Joſeph, He had now nine or ten Sons, Ch. 46.21. He is call'd a lad comparatively, being the youngeſt of Jacob's Sons.Iſrael asked them, Why they would deal ſo ill by him as to tell the Governour of Egypt they had another Brother. They ſaid, He examined them ſo ſtrictly about their Kindred, as whither their Father was yet alive, and whither they had another Brother, &c. that they could not avoid telling him, little imagining that He would require they ſhould bring him down to Him. Judah farther ſaid, That in caſe his Father would let Benjamin go down with them, He would be Surety for him, of his hand He ſhould require him, and if he brought him not ſafe again, he would for ever bear the blame thereof. Therefore (ſays he) I beſeech thee let him go down with us. For if thou hadſt not ſtaid us by thy unwillingneſs to part with Benjamin, we might have made a Second return with Corn by this time. Iſrael ſeeing there was no remedy, and that he had better adventure one to an uncertain danger, than caſt the whole Family upon certain ruine, He conſents that they ſhould go and take Benjamin with them. And having had before experience of the efficacy of Preſents, [Ch. 32.20.] He thought he would now alſo uſe prudent means, as ſubſervient to Gods Providence, for the preſervation of his Children. And therefore appoints his Sons to carry a ſmall Preſent of the beſt Fruits of the Land, viz. a little Balm, a little Honey, with a little Spice and Myrrh, and ſome Terebinthian-Nuts and Almonds, ſuch as the ſcarcity of that time would afford; And like a juſt man, he charges them to carry double money with them, viz. the money that was brought back and found in their Sacks-mouth, and money for more Corn to be bought in Egypt. For (ſays he) it may poſſibly have happened through ſome overſight of the men that ſhould have received the money, that it was thus returned in your Sacks; However miſtake is no payment; the Corn becoming ours, the Money is theirs that ſold it; therefore take it with you and reſtore (m)That ſaying of Auſtin is moſt true, Epiſt 54. Macedoniae, without reſtitution (in deed or deſire) that is no remiſſion. Non remittitur peccatum niſi reſtituatur ablatum.it. And ſeeing it muſt be ſo, take your Brother Benjamin with you, and God Almighty give you favour with the Governour of Egypt, that he may deliver to you your Brother Simeon (whom he hath in Cuſtody) and that you may bring both him and Benjamin back to me again. But however it ſhall fall out, I will diſpoſe my ſelf to bear it patiently, and ſubmit to the Providence of God therein. [See Eſter 4.16.] And the Sons of Jacob did as their Father commanded, and went down into Egypt a ſecond time. And being come thither, they preſented themſelves before Joſeph as he was going about ſome Affairs of State, who ſeeing Benjamin with them, ordered they ſhould attend Him at his Houſe at Noon, and then ſpake privately to the Steward of his Houſe to go home to make proviſion for them, for he intended theſe men ſhould Dine with him that day. The Steward accordingly brings them to his Maſters houſe at Noon. But they it ſeems knew not that they ſhould be there entertained at Dinner, and kindly treated, but contrarily conceived they ſhould be ſecur'd in the Houſe, and charged with, and puniſhed for the money carried back, and that he would thereupon take occaſion to ſeize upon them, and take them for Bondmen, and ſeize upon their Aſſes alſo: And accordingly being come to the door of the Houſe, before they entred, they began to make their excuſe and apology to the Steward about the money that was return'd in their Sacks, (n)V. 21. For haſt they relate together what happened in the Inn, and what was diſcovered when they came home.proteſting their innocency therein, and that they knew not how or by whom it was put into their Sacks; but however it came about, they had (as became honeſt men) brought it back again, and there had it ready to pay unto him. But the Steward (who it ſeems was a Proſelyte, and inſtructed in the true Religion and Worſhip of God by his Maſter) ſaid, Peace be unto you; fear not, Your God, and the God of your Father hath given you Treaſure in your Sacks; that is, you are to attribute it to the Providence of God, that you found that money in your Sacks. As for me, I am ſure I had your money; I acknowledge the Receipt of it, there was no fraud nor deceipt in you as to that matter. Then He brought out (to their great joy) their Brother Simeon to them, who had been there detain'd as a Priſoner. And bringing them in to his Maſters houſe, he gave them water that they might waſh their Feet, to cleanſe and refreſh them (according to the cuſtom of thoſe hot Countries, ſee Ch. 18. v. 4. and Ch. 24. v. 32.) He order'd alſo that their Aſſes ſhould have Provender given to them. Theſe things being done, they made ready the Preſent they had brought with them from their own Country to preſent unto Joſeph when he ſhould come home. And by this time they underſtood they ſhould eat there that day. When Joſeph came in, they bowed themſelves to the earth before him, and humbly tendred their Preſent to him. He then friendly asked them concerning their welfare, and whither the old Man their Father was yet alive, and they bowing down their Heads, and making an humble Obeyſance to him, ſaid, Thy Servant our Father is yet alive, and in good health. (o)Thus was Joſeph's Dream accompliſh'd: concerning the Sun, and Moon, and eleven Stars making Obeyſance to him, Ch. 37.9. For this bowing of themſelves before Joſeph, when they came with their Preſents, was not only in their own names, but alſo in the name of their Father, who had ſent theſe Preſents to him; whom therefore they term his Servant.Then ſeeing his Brother Benjamin, He ſaid, Is this your youngeſt Brother of whom ye ſpake to me? And they anſwered, Yes; He ſaid, God be gracious to thee me Son. (p)Joſeph calls Benjamin his Son, as he was a Magiſtrate and a Father in the civil State.Then finding his Affections to be ſtir'd, and his Bowels to yern upon his Brother Benjamin, he withdrew himſelf to his Chamber, there to give vent unto his paſſion in ſecret. When that was over, he waſhed his face and went to them again, and commanded his Servants to bring in dinner. They accordingly firſt furniſh a Table for him apart, as became a Vice-Roy, 2ly, another for his eleven Brethren. A third for ſuch Aegyptians and Perſons of Quality of that Nation that were to dine in the ſame Room with him, though not at the ſame Table. For the Egyptians would not eat bread with the Hebrews, it being an abomination to them ſo to do; becauſe the Hebrews were known to be keepers of Sheep, and ſo to kill and ſacrifice ſuch Cattel as the Egyptians worſhipped. See Gen. 46.34. Every Shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. And Exod. 8.26. And Moſes ſaid, it is not meet ſo to do; For we ſhall ſacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians unto the Lord our God. And they ſate down at the Table every one according to his age and ſeniority, looking upon one another with ſome amazement; and marvailing that the Governour of Egypt ſhould ſhew them now ſo great favour, who had not long before treated them ſo roughly. Then He ſent portions *See 1 Sam. 1.4, 5.or Meſſes from his own Table to them (according to the cuſtom and manner of thoſe times and that place) but to Benjamin he ſent five times as much as to any of them; which poſſibly He did, not only to teſtifie his ſingular affection to him, but alſo to make trial whither his Brethren would envy him for it. And ſo they drank and were merry together, though in a decent and ſober manner.
Gen. 43. whole Chapter.