When he arrived, they gave him the present, and bowed themselves before him to the ground. He enquired, "Is your father well; the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?" "Thy servant, our father," they replied, "is yet alive, and in good health."

And again they bowed their heads and made obeisance, Joseph then, fixing his eyes on his own brother Benjamin, asked them, "Is this your younger brother of whom ye spake unto me?" and without waiting for their reply continued, "God be gracious unto thee, my son." He could say no more; for his heart was full. The sight of his brother had fanned the ardour of that fraternal affection which he had ever cherished towards him; and now, he was SO overcome by his feelings that, to hide his emotion, he sought where he might weep tears of love in secret : and he entered into his chamber and wept there.

Having washed his face, that it might not be observed he had been weeping, he returned to his brethren with a cheerful countenance, and ordered dinner to be brought in. Joseph, on account of his dignity, sat by himself; and his brethren sat by themselves. The Egyptians who dined with them also sat by them

selves, considering it an abomination to eat at the same table with Hebrews, who, being shepherds, were accounted an inferior people. The eleven brethren being placed before Joseph, according to the exact order of their birth, wondered greatly at the strangeness of the thing, and could not account for it. However, being so kindly entertained,-for Joseph sent them provisions from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as any of his brethren,

they ate and drank freely, and made themselves merry with him.

3. So far, their proceedings had been favourable beyond their most sanguine expectations; and they might now reasonably conclude that nothing further would take place to cause anxiety and disappointment. But they had yet to pass through a severer trial than any they had yet experienced. Their hard hearts, which had been steeled against the anguish of Joseph's soul, when they sold him into slavery, must be wrought upon by still sorer affliction, And though Joseph, for the sake of his beloved brother Benjamin, earnestly longed to make himself known to them, he was yet constrained to delay doing so a little longer, that he might impress them with a fuller conviction of their cruelty towards

H

him, for relating to them dreams which events then transpiring proved to have been from God, who sees the end from the beginning.

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He therefore gave this command to the steward of his house, " Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack. And put my silver cup into the sack of the youngest, with his corn money." This being done, the next morning, as soon as it was light, they set out on their their journey, congratulating congratulating themselves, no doubt, on the successful issue of their interview with the governor, and the hospitality he had shewn them.

But their rejoicing was but short; for no sooner were they gone out of the city, than Joseph called his steward, and told him to follow after them quickly, and charge them with stealing his silver cup. The steward, soon overtook them, and after reproaching them for their ingratitude, demanded the cup. Conscious of their innocence, they at once denied the charge; and in proof of their integrity and just dealing reminded him that they had brought back the money which they found in their sacks. But to put the matter beyond all doubt, they proposed that he should search them; and said,

"With whomsoever of thy servants it shall be found, let him die; and we also will be my lord's bondmen." The steward replied, "Let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; but the rest shall be blameless."

They then speedily unloaded the asses, and the steward examined the sacks, beginning with that belonging to the eldest, and so on till he came to Benjamin's, in which he found the cup. They were struck with horror and amazement at the sight: to offer a defence was useless, the theft appeared so clear: so, rending their clothes in grief and despair, they reloaded their asses and returned to the city with the steward.

5. Joseph staid at home in expectation of their return; and as soon as they came into his presence, they fell down before him on the ground in sorrowful submission. Before they had time to offer the least defence, Joseph said to them, sternly, "What is this that ye have done? Did ye not know that I could certainly find you out?" Judah, amidst great fear and consternation, replied, "What shall we say unto shall we speak clear ourselves? out the iniquity of thy servants.

my lord? what or how shall we God hath found

Now, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup was found." But Joseph said, "God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose possession the cup was found, he shall be my servant: and as for you, go in peace to your father."

6. Judah, filled with grief, then drew near to Joseph and said, "Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, have ye a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave him, his father would die. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. And it came to pass that when we went unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little

food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: and the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since. And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befal him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I

come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us-seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's lifeit shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up 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."

7. This touching appeal so affected

with Joseph and blessed the work of his hands, now caused His blessing to descend upon the house of Potiphar, for Joseph's sake, because he had shewn kindness to one of His chosen ones; so that prosperity rested upon his house and possessions, till at length he knew not their extent; it was known only to faithful Joseph.

16. Being thus happily situated, he might reasonably have looked forward to a life of much comfort, though in slavery, and have hoped to obtain his liberty as a reward for his faithful and profitable services. His virtue, however, had to pass through some severe trials before he could assure himself of a state of tranquillity and peace.

Providence had been very bountiful to Joseph, in bestowing upon him a comely form, adorned with a manly dignity and grace. These personal attractions did not long pass unnoticed by his master's wife, who became enamoured of him, and, forgetting the sacredness of the tie that bound her

to her husband, importuned Joseph to break one of God's most holy commandments. But he refused, and said to her, "Behold, my master knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath into my hand: there is none greater in this house than I:

neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God." Notwithstanding this solemn refusal, day after day she continued to urge her request, to which he as constantly refused to yield.

At length an opportunity presented itself, when the servants of the house were engaged in their duties at a distance, and Potiphar was from home on the king's business, which she thought favourable to a more determined attempt to induce him to comply with her desires. So with much importunity she again spoke to him, and laid hold of his garment to prevent him from leaving her. seph's resolution was still unshaken: still he resisted her; and having no other means of escape, he left his garment in her hands and fled from the house.

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17. Being now exasperated against him beyond measure, and fearing that he might betray her base conduct to his master, she determined to prevent his accusing her, by making a charge against him. So raising a great outcry, and calling the servants of the house, she said to them, "See; your master hath brought a Hebrew into the house to expose us to scorn and infamy. He came into my room;