he Money in the Sacks. He Threatens the Brothers with
Punishment. He tells His Brothers Who He Is, Forgives Them, and Takes
Them Into His Favor_.

And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they
had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their
father said unto them, "Go again, buy us a little food."

And Judah spoke unto him, saying, "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.'"

{115}

And Israel said, "Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the
man whether ye had yet a brother?"

And they said, "The man asked strictly concerning ourselves, and
concerning our kindred, saying, 'Is your father yet alive? have ye
another brother?' and we told him according to the nature of these
words: could we in any wise know that he would say, 'Bring your
brother down'?"

And Judah said unto Israel his father, "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. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt
thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before
thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: for except we had lingered,
surely we had now returned a second time."

And their father Israel said unto them, "If it be so now, do this;
take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down
the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and
myrrh, nuts, and almonds: and take double money in your hand; and the
money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your
hand; peradventure it was an oversight: take also your brother, and
arise, go again unto the man: and God Almighty give you mercy before
the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin.
And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

And the men took that present, and they took double money in their
hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood
before Joseph. And when {116} Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said
to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slay,
and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon."

And the man did as Joseph bade; and t