Eg.yptian priest ( ~h. xli. 42); (3) he swore like a courtier-" By the life of Pho.mob," which certamly !us brethren knew was not the language of Canaan. Yet, if they had been ns nnx10us to see their lost brother as he had been to see them (it is just possible _Joseph may have been on the outlook for his brethren, expecting them to arrive with every caravan that came from Canaan), not even these disguises would hav:e concealed his identity. 3. Harsli treat7n:ent by tlie governor. (1) The nature o~ 1t. He spoke to them roughly, he quest10ned them straitly, he accused them directly, he proved them severely, he imprisoned them closely. (2) The reason of it. Scarcely revenge; ostensibly to test their sincerity; but really to conceal hie own identity, in order to secure time for thought how to act, and, if possible to penetrate into their characters. (3) The mitig·ation of it. At the end of three days he somewhat relaxed his proposition, asking them to leave only one of their brethren instead of nine, viz., Simeon, whom he took and bound before their eyes. 4. Bittc1· g1ief before tlie governor. (1) The remembrance of their sin, As a result of their ro11gh handling by the Egyptian vizier, they began to think of Joseph and their early sin against him, which almost every step in their present experience vi,idly recalled. It is good when affliction brings sin to mind, (2) The confession of their guilt. "We are verily guilty concerning our brother." lt ia better when tribulation leads to ari acknowledgment of ill desert. (3) The recognition of their punishment.. They saw the hand of God pursuing them for their wickedness, and requiting them, as they imagined, for Joseph's blood. It is best when God's retribu- tive dispensations. make the soul sensitive and humble. 5. Unexpected kindness from tlie governor. Though he did not depart from his original demand that they should bring down Benjamin, and though he insisted on retaining Simeon as a hostage for their obedience, he yet granted their request for corn, and, unknown to them aa yet, caused their money to be restored to their sacks. So Christ often deals with penitents; first blows and buffetings, then benefits and blessings. III. THE RETURN TO CANAAN (vcrs. 26-38). 1. The startling discovery. Rest- ing for the night at a wayside khan, or lodging-place, one of the brethren, having had occasion to give hie beast a little provender, opened out hie sack, and lo I the silver money he had paid for his corn was in its mouth, The same discovery was made by the rest on reaching Hebron. The instruction which Joseph gave his steward had not been heard by them, and they had penetration to see how the cir- cumstance might be turned to their disadvantage. They were innocent of any crime in this matter; but how were they to explain it to the austere and impenetrable man who sat upon the throne of Egypt? "Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all." The best that can be said of them in this connection is that they had piety enough to see the hand of God in the untoward affair. 2. J.'he .faitliful report. qn arriving at Hebron, they related to their father Jo.cob nll that find befallen them m Egypt, beginning with the rough reception they had gotten from the governor, and ending with the startling discovery they had just made ; in all which there was at least a symptom of improvement in the characters of those ten bre!hren. H~re w~a none of the concealment and lying that marked them at an earlier stage m th~1r history, as when they palmed off upon their aged parent the clever story of the wild beast and the bloody coat to account for Joseph's disappearance. They pre~ented themselves as before without their brother, but this time they told the truth: Simeon was a hostage in Egypt for the bringing do~n of Benjam_in. 3. Tliefarental Sf»'row. In the anguish of the moment Jacob committed three mistakes. (1 About his sons who had returned from Eo-ypt whom he was manifestly blaming for the loss both of Simeon and Joseph,-" Me y~ are bereaving,"-which should lead us to beware of passing hasty judgmenta upon the characters of others, of, thos~ even whom we may think we know best. (2) About the two who were detamed m Egypt, Joseph and Simeon the first of whom he thought he knew was already dead, and tho second of whom ho feared had shared the same fate; whereas Joseph w11s in honour in ~gypt, and Simeon was only languishing in temporary confinement, (3) About himself and Benjamin, that their separation would but be the beginning of sorrow for them both, whereas it was to be the means of leading both to happiness and honour. So God's providences are often misinterpreted by liia saints. Contrast with Jacob's e){clamation that of Paul in Rom. viii. 28. 4. T!te filial security. Reuben offers to CB, XLII. 1-38.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 481
undertake the charge of Benjamin, and to be responsible for his safe-conduct to Egypt e.nd back e.ge.in, nnd in so far the e.ct of Reuben was generous and kindly towards both Jacob and Benjamin; but his proposal that Jacob should slay two of his sons if he foiled to deliver Benje.min was rash, unnatural, and sinful, and accord- ingly was ut once rejected by the patriarch. See in this interesting narrative-1. The fact of an overruling providence, exem- plified in God's bringing Joseph's brethren to Egypt. 2. The strength of human affection, illustrated by Joseph's emotion in presence of his brethren, and Jacob's pathetic fondness for Benjamin. 3. The power of a guilty conscience, exhibited in the mutual recriminations of the brethren with reference to the sale of Joseph. 4. The beneficial influence of the discipline of life, as portrayed in the good effects produced by Joseph's rough handling of his brethren. 5. The short-sightedness of sense and reason, as seen in Jacob's lamentation, "All these things are against me," while, on the contrary, all things were working together for his good.