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18. Second journey to Egypt.

The sons of Jacob had to travel to Egypt a second time to buy grain. He was very reluctant to give them Benjamin, but he could not help it, and Judah spoke well of the boy. He also gave them twice as much money and delicious produce from the land of Canaan for Joseph, not realising that he was sending them to his own son. ‘God Almighty,’ he said, ’give you mercy before the man, that he may restore to you the brother he has taken captive and let Benjamin go! But I must be,’ he said, ’like one who has no children at all.’

In Egypt, Joseph ordered his steward to bring them to him, for he wanted to give them a meal and have lunch with his brothers. - Before they appeared before him, they told the governor what had happened to them with the money. The bailiff said, ‘Your money has become mine.’ He also gave them back their brother Simeon, who had been taken prisoner. When they appeared before Joseph, they presented him with the gifts. No king would have been able to give him anything more delicious than these gifts, from the land of his beautiful homeland, from the hands of his father.

Joseph greeted them with kind words: ‘Is your father well? Is he still alive?’ They said, ‘Your servant, our father, is well.’ - ‘Is this your brother?’ he said when he saw Benjamin; “God bless you, my son!” he said to Benjamin. But he could speak no further; his heart was so moved against his brother, the son of his mother Rachel, that he had to go away and weep. But when he had wept and returned, he sat his brothers down at table, one after the other according to age, and did Benjamin a special honour. He himself ate with them, though at a separate table. But he did not yet reveal himself to them.

Then Joseph had their sacks filled with grain. At his command, each man's money was put back into the top of the sack, and the silver cup, from which he used to drink, was also put into Benjamin's sack. But when the brothers were already on their way home again and thought that this time everything had gone better than the first time, Joseph sent his steward after them. When the steward had caught up with them, he said to them, ‘Why do you repay good with evil? Which one of you has stolen my master's silver cup?’ They said, ‘Why does my lord speak such words? We are honest people. Whose cup is found, let him die! But we want to be your master's servants.’ Then all the sacks were opened and searched, and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then the brothers tore their clothes in terror and grief and all turned back together.

When they were brought before Joseph again, he spoke harshly to them, saying that they had submitted to such things. Judah took the floor and said, ‘How can we justify ourselves? God has found our iniquity. Behold, we are your servants’ Joseph said, ’Far be it from you! He with whom the cup is found shall be my servant! But you go in peace to your father.’ Judah begged that this might not happen. He could not look on his father's misery if he returned and did not bring back the boy to whom his heart was set. He would rather remain in captivity and bondage in his place. Joseph did all this so that he might see how his brothers were feeling and whether time had made them better. When he saw how they now loved their old father and his brother Benjamin, and how Judah was distressed, he could not help weeping. The Egyptians who were present all had to go out.

When they were alone among themselves, he gave free rein to his tears. ‘I am Joseph,’ he said. ‘Is my father still alive?’ The pious son asked whether his father was still alive. - His brothers were so shocked that they could not answer him. But he said to them again: ‘I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold. But do not be afraid! Hurry and tell my father to come to me with all his possessions and live with me.’ Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck too. He kissed all his brothers and wept over them with emotion and love.

Only then did his brothers speak to him. The king also sent an invitation to Joseph's father to go to Egypt, and Joseph gave each of them a ceremonial robe, but to Benjamin he gave five ceremonial robes and three hundred pieces of silver, and sent his father a lot of delicious goods from Egypt as a greeting, and wagons for the journey, and ‘Don't quarrel on the way!’ he said to his brothers. Of course, this time the journey home was more pleasant than the first time. When hardship is greatest, comfort is often nearest.