over-estimate. In behalf of one whom he passed upon his brethren, an<l in particular knew wo.s preferred to B higher place in his upon Judah, since the day when he had father's affection than himself, he was willing eloquently urged, and they had wickedly to renounce .his liberty rather than see his consented, to sell their brother Joseph into nged parent die of a broken heart, The self- Egypt. Everything was now ready for th~ forgetful magnanimity of such o.n action has denouement in this domestic drama. The never been eclipsed, nnd seldom rivalled. story of J oseph's di~covery of himself to his After words so exquisitely beautiful o.nd astonished brethren is related in the ensuing profoundly pathetic it was impossible for chapter. Joseph to doubt that a complete change had HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-34.-Joseph's artifice to detain Benjamin, or the stor!/ of the silver goblet. I. JosEPH 1S STRATAGEM (vers. 1-13). 1. The formation of the plot (vers. 1-5). (1) The singular nature of the plot. This was, after filling the men's sacks with corn, and putting each man's money in his sack's mouth as before, that the steward should secretly deposit in the amtachath of Benjamin the silver goblet from which Joseph was accustomed to fill nis wine-cup when he drank. (2) The immediate object of the plot. It was designed that the company should be pursued under sus- picion of theft, and that, on examination made, Benjamin should be arrested as a criminal. (3) The ultimate purpose of the plot. Not simply to detain Benjamin, whom Joseph longed to have beside him, but chiefly to try the others as to whether they could witness unmoved Benjamin's consignment to exile and probable imprison- ment, as formerly with callous hearts they had beheld his (Joseph's) sale and departure as a bondman into Egypt. 2. The execution of theflot (vers. 6-12). (1) The cup was put into the sack of Benjamin, as arranged, an the men allowed to depart with the first streak of dawn in happy unconsciousness of what had been devised against them. (2) Overtaken by the steward, and abruptly charged with having stolen his master's divining cup, they indignantly repel the charge, anrl somewhat rashly suggest that their sacks should be searched on the spot, at the same time offering, so conscious were they of innocence, to deliver up the culprit to death, and themselves to a voluntary captivity. (3) Taking them nt their word, and modifying their proposal to the extent that he would take the guilty one only ns o. servo.nt, the sacks were opened out, and, as the steward of course expected, the missing vase was found where he himself hnd placed it, in the amtachath. of Benjamin. 3. Tlte result of the plot (vers. 13-16). (1) Utter consternation of mind: "they rent their clothes" to give expression to the anguish of their souls. (2) Instantaneous retracing of their steps: "they Jaded every man his ass, and returned to the city." (3) Abject ncknowledgment of their offence: 11 What shall we say unto my lord? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants," (4) Faithful fulfilment of their contract: "Behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he nlso with whom the cup is found." II. BENJAMIN'S SENTEN0E (ver. 17). 1. Exceedingly severe. He became a bond- man. Remark upon the sadness of slavery, even when most mitigated. 2. Circum- stantially justiji,e,d. Appearances were against him. But the evidence of circum- stances is sometimes fallacious. 3. Absolutely 1tndeserved. 1n every sense of the expression Benjamin wns blameless. 4. Wisely designed. It was meant to assay the characters of both Benjamin and his brethren. III. JoDAH's SUPPLICATION (vers. 18-34). 1. Deferential h11mility (ver. 18). It is difficult to imagine language more respectful and deferential than that of Judah. Almost every word is so framed as to convey a sense of Joseph's lofty station, superior dignity, and just cause of indignation against the speaker. 2. Artless sim- plicity (vers. 19-26). Infinitely more powerful than either voluble rhetoric or closely-compacted argument is the plain and unsophisticated logic of truth. Without the most distant approach to sophistry, or even an attempt at persuasion, Judah con- fines himself to a bare recital of the facts of the case which were nlrearly well known to Joseph. 3. Inimitable pathos (vers. 28-32). Depicting his father's love for Benjamin for hie dead mother's and his lost brother's sakes, he tells how he himself bad become surety for the lad to hie aged parent, and that if he should fail to take nim back again in safety he would bring down hie father's grey hairs with sorrow to 492 THE BOOK OF GENESIS. [o!t, XLIV, 1-84.
the grave. 4. Heroi.c self-sacrifice (vers. 33, 34). Rather than that Benjnmin should ~ot go home again to Hebron, he would himself remain II bondman to my lord the governor for ever. Nay, he e~plicitly makes offer that he should take the young mnn'R pince a~ he would ra~her die than see the sorrow which his absence would bring down upo~ his venerable sire. Noble Judah! thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise.
HOMILIES DY VARIOUS .AUTHORS. Ch. xliv.-Charader built on faith. This char,•.i~r continues the same thread ot Joseph's policy, and the same lessons are in it. I. PRACTICAL WISDOM THE FRUIT OF PIETY. The true man is the strong man. With a deep knowledge of the human heart, Joseph felt q•iite sure that the only way to move Jacob from Canaan was to detain Benjamin. II. THE SANCTITY oir THE AFFECTIONS. Real religion their only safeguard in the world's hardening and perverting influences. Joseph did apparent violence to his brethren's and his father's feelings that he might afterwards fill them with joy. There was a great deal of genuine family affection at the bottom of the scheme. He c_ould not bear to part with Benjamin. He at first meant to maintain the dissembling till the old man was brought, but nature burst through the restraint. The whole a testimony to the real purity and simplicity of Joseph's heart, and therefore, in such circumstances of temptation as his, to his real religion. III. CONTRAST BETWEEN Goo's IDEAL OF GREATNESS AND THE WORLD'S. Great rulers and statesmen are not wont thus to cultivate the emotions. The tendency of high position is to harden the heart, and to change nature into policy, and the real into the artificial. Yet such instances as Joseph show the possibility of uniting the two spheres-the secular and the spiritual, and being great in both.-R.