Part 29 (1/2)

42:35. When they had told this, they poured out their corn, and every man found his money tied in the mouth of his sack: and all being astonished together,

42:36. Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen upon me.

42:37. And Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons, if I bring him not again to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to thee.

42:38. But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to h.e.l.l.

To h.e.l.l... That is, to that place, where the souls then remained, as above, chapter 37. ver. 35.

Genesis Chapter 43

The sons of Jacob go again into Egypt with Benjamin. They are entertained by Joseph.

43:1. In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.

43:2. And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again, and buy us a little food.

43:3. Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.

43:4. If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.

43:5. But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother.

43:6. Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery, in that you told him you had also another brother.

43:7. But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you?

43:8. And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish.

43:9. I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever.

43:10. If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.

43:11. Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.

Balm... Literally rosin, resinae; but here by that name is meant balm.

43:12. And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.

43:13. And take also your brother, and go to the man.

43:14. And may my almighty G.o.d make him favourable to you: and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children.

43:15. So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

43:16. And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon.

43:17. He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house.

43:18. And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our a.s.ses.