19. Back to Egypt

The food the brothers had brought back with them did not last long. The famine grew worse and Jacob told his sons they must go back to Egypt to buy more.

"We have already told you," said Judah. "The governor will not let us come back to the city unless we bring Benjamin."

Judah promised to take care of Benjamin and guard him with his life, so Jacob finally gave in. Joseph had returned the money that the brothers had brought to pay for the grain the last time, and Jacob told them they must take extra money to pay him back.

When the brothers reached Joseph's house, he invited them in for a meal.

"Is this the brother you call Benjamin?" he asked.

Benjamin walked toward his brother, but Joseph had to leave the room because he was so overcome with affection for his little brother that he was about to weep.

Then Joseph made the brothers sit in a row according to their ages, and they were surprised at that, when he sent food to their table, Joseph made sure Benjamin's plate had the most of all.

The next morning, Joseph ordered the brothers' sacks to be filled with grain for their journey home. Once again he returned all their money to them. But this time, Joseph asked the servants to do something unusual.

"Put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest brother," he told them.

After the brothers had journeyed outside the city, Joseph sent a servant to go after them.

"Which one of you has stolen my master's cup?" shouted the servant when he had reached them.

"We have taken nothing," they said. "Look, we have even returned the money that was sent back in our sacks. If you find one of us has the cup, kill him and take the rest of us as slaves."

"I will take the guilty one with me," said the servant. "The rest will go free."

The servant searched all the sacks. He saved Benjamin's for last because he was the youngest. He reached deep into the sack and there was the silver cup!

Benjamin's brothers returned to the city with him. Judah fell down before Joseph and begged his forgiveness.

"Our father will die if we don't bring Benjamin back," he said. "Send him and keep me instead."

Judah continued to plead with Joseph until Joseph could stand it no longer. He sent the servants out of the room, then he spoke to his brothers in their native language.

"I am Joseph," he cried. "I am the brother you sold as a slave."

Joseph told his brothers not to feel guilty about what they had done to him. "God sent me here to help people stay alive during the famine. It will last five more years, but I will care for you and make sure you do not go hungry."

The Pharaoh told Joseph to send word for all his family to come to Egypt and settle there. Joseph sent his brothers back to Canaan loaded with gifts. He couldn't wait for them to tell his father the good news.

Jacob almost fainted when he heard that Joseph was alive. He wanted to see his son again very much, but he wasn't sure he should leave his homeland and move to Egypt. God told Jacob that he would be with him in Egypt and bring him back to Canaan when he died, so the family packed up and went on their way.

Jacob and Joseph met in a place called Goshen. The reunion was a very moving one. Jacob said to his son, "I can die a happy man now because I have seen my son again."

Jacob lived to be nearly 150 years old. Before he died, he called all of Joseph's children to his side and blessed them. Then the brothers took him back to Canaan to be buried.

(end of section)