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homeward. But they had scarcely left the city, before they were pursued and overtaken by the steward, who assailed them with a fierce charge of ingratitude and theft, accusing them of having stolen the silver cup

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of his master. The men protested their innocence, and willingly submitted to an examination. Great was their astonishment when the cup was found in the sack of Benjamin. They were exceedingly dismayed, and the whole company, sorrowful and perplexed, returned to the city.

When they came again into the presence of Joseph, they fell before him to the ground. It

would be of no avail to plead their innocence, since the cup was found in their possession, and they gave themselves up submissively to bondage. Behold," they said, "we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found."

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But Joseph said, "Not so; go in peace to your father, all except the one with whom the cup is found; he only shall be my servant."

We may suppose that Joseph designed by this severe test to gain a clear insight into the temper and character of his brethren, that he might know whether the Spirit of God had moved them to repentance for their former deeds.

Would they leave Benjamin to his fate, and return to their father with intelligence that would rend his aged heart with grief? He would see; so he bade all but the criminal "go in peace!"

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Then Judah arose, and advancing in front of the others, related all that had passed between them and their father, after their former jour. ney to Egypt; describing the reluctance of the old man to part with Benjamin, and his own solemn pledge of suretyship for him. He concluded with an urgent request that he might

be accepted as the bondman, and Benjamin allowed to return home with his brethren.

"For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.”

When Judah had done speaking, Joseph could no longer restrain his feelings. His heart yearned towards his brethren, and commanding his Egyptian servants to leave the room, he said,

"I am Joseph your brother; doth my father yet live?" And he wept aloud; so that all in the house heard. Again he repeated,

"I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold. into Egypt."

These words filled his brethren with amazement and fear; they were troubled at his presence, and cut to the heart by the remembrance of their former cruelty. They could not answer him a word. But Joseph calmed the tumult of their thoughts, speaking to them in the most endearing manner, and using arguments of consolation, to dispel the painful sense of guilt and shame.

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"Be not angry with yourselves," said Joseph, that ye sold me hither. It was God that sent

me before you, not only to save you and your posterity, but to preserve all Egypt and the surrounding country from a great calamity. And now," he continued, "haste ye, and return to my father, and tell him that God hath made his son Joseph lord over all Egypt. And ye shall bring him, and all your families, down thither, and I will nourish you during the five years of famine yet to come."

With these words Joseph comforted and cheered his brethren, embracing them all with tenderness, and conversing with them long and kindly.

Pharoah the king and his servants were pleased that Joseph had found his brethren, and that they were coming with their father to dwell near them.

The king said to them, "I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land."

EMIGRATION TO EGYPT.

When the sons of Jacob returned home with this wonderful news, Joseph is yet alive, and is governor over all the land of Egypt, the old man his father could not believe it.

"His heart fainted, for he believed them not." But when he saw the presents sent by Joseph, and the wagons in which

they were to journey, and heard the whole story related in order, his heart revived.

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"And Israel said, It is enough: Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die."

So Jacob set forth on his journey towards Egypt. At Beersheba, on the border of the land of Canaan, he paused and offered a solemn sacrifice to Jehovah. And here, in the visions of the night, he heard the voice of God speaking to him, and saying,

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