ther confent that Benjamin go with them. AND Judah fpake unto him, faying, The man did folemnly proteft unto us faying, ye fhall not fee my face except your brother be with you; if thou wilt fend our brother we will go down and buy thee food, but if thou wilt not fend him, we will not go down, for the man faid unto us, ye shall not fee my face except your brother be with you. How naturally affecting is the anfwer of the old man- Wherefore dealt ye fo ill with me as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother. The reply of his fons is not lefs remarkable for its fimplicity—it is a plain statement of the real circumftances of the cafe The man afked us ftraitly of our ftate and of our kindred, faying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of thefe words; could we certainly know that he would fay, bring your brother down. Such minute inquiries concerning their family, coming from a ftranger, muft have feemed very aftonifhing to the fons of Jacob, and the requifition of Benjamin have been a trial of their fincerity no lefs fevere than unexpected. It was a cruel alternative: The old man muft part with his beloved child with fcarce a hope of ever feeing him again; or he, his family, and Benjamin among the reft, must perifh by by the famine And Judah faid unto Ifrael his father; Send the lad with me, and we will arife and go: if I bring him not unto thee, and fet him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever. At length their father is forced to yield, and what parental tendernefs could not confent to, the neceffity of the cafe effected. If it must be fo now, faid the old man, this do, take of the best fruits of your land in your veffels- -fuch as were the peculiar produce of the country, and for which Canaan was famous. _and carry the man a prefent, a little balm, and a little honey, fpices and myrrh, nuts and almonds, as the probable means to conciliate the favour of the governor of Egypt, and procure the release of Simeon, and the return of Benjamin. And, fays he, take double money in your hand, and the money that was brought again in your facks mouth, carry it again in your hand, peradventure it was an overfight—a miftake of the governor's or of those under him; he could not tell how it was, but fomehow or other he fuppofes a mistake to have been made; Take alfo your brother and go again unto the man; and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may fend away your other bro ther and Benjamin: If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved! WHO does not here feel for the aged parent of a numerous offspring,already in apprehenfion, bereaved of his children, and preparing his mind against the worst that may befal them, in patient fubmiffion to the Divine Will If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved! THE brethren return into Egypt and appear again before Jofeph. As foon as he faw Benjamin with them, he ordered a feast to be prepared, and these fhepherds from Judea are invited to dine with the governor of Egypt. Nor were they lefs alarmed at the kindnefs of their prefent reception, than by the severity of their former treatment. When men bear about them the confcioufhefs of guilt, they are always full of terror and apprehenfion; We are verily guilty concerning our brother, was ftill uppermoft in their thoughts: They are brought into Jofeph's houfe; but this circumftance, inftead of quieting their fears, only ferved to increase their fufpicions, and that the money found in their facks would be the pretence of accufing them and they faid, Becaufe of the money that was returned in our facks the first time are we brought in, that he may feek occafion against us, and fall upon us, and take ́us for bondfmen and our affes. As foon therefore as they faw the fteward of the house, they proteft their innocence, and offer to restore it again we came down at the first time to buy food, and it came to pafs when we came to the inn, that we opened our facks, and behold every man's money was in the mouth of his O Sir, |