When the supplies bought in Egypt were eaten up, and the family of
Jacob began to suffer with hunger, the little children came to him, and
they said, "Give us bread, that we die not of hunger before thee." The
words of the little ones brought scorching tears to the eyes of Jacob,
and he summoned his sons and bade them go again down into Egypt and buy
food.[227] But Judah spake unto him, "The man did solemnly protest unto
us, saying that we should not see his face, except our brother Benjamin
be with us, and we cannot appear before him with idle pretexts." And
Jacob said, "Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me as to tell the man
whether ye had yet a brother?" It was the first and only time Jacob
indulged in empty talk, and God said, "I made it My business to raise
his son to the position of ruler of Egypt, and he complains, and says,
Wherefore dealt ye so ill with-me?" And Judah protested against the
reproach, that he had initiated the Egyptian viceroy in their family
relations, with the words: "Why, he knew the very wood of which our
baby coaches are made![228] Father," he continued, "if Benjamin goes
with us, he may, indeed, be taken from us, but also he may not. This is
a doubtful matter, but it is certain that if he does not go with us, we
shall all die of hunger. It is better not to concern thyself about what
is doubtful, and guide thy actions by what is certain.[229] The king of
Egypt is a strong and mighty king, and if we go to him without our
brother, we shall all be put to death. Dost thou not know, and hast
thou not heard, that this king is very powerful and wise, and there is
none like unto him in all the earth? We have seen all the kings of the
earth, but none like unto the king of Egypt. One would surely say that
among all the kings of the earth there is none greater than Abimelech
king of the Philistines, yet the king of Egypt is greater and mightier
than he, and Abimelech can hardly be compared with one of his officers.
Father, thou hast not seen his palace and his throne, and all his
servants standing before him. Thou hast not seen that king upon his
throne, in all his magnificence and with his royal insignia, arrayed in
his royal robes, with a large golden crown upon his head. Thou hast not
seen the honor and the glory that God hath given unto him, for there is
none like unto him in all the earth. Father, thou hast not seen the
wisdom, the understanding, and the knowledge that God has given in his
heart. We heard his sweet voice when he spake unto us. We know not,
father, who acquainted him with our names, and all that befell us. He
asked also concerning thee, saying, Is your father still alive, and is
it well with him? Thou hast not seen the affairs of the government of
Egypt regulated by him, for none asketh his lord Pharaoh about them.
Thou hast not seen the awe and the fear that he imposes upon all the
Egyptians. Even we went out from his presence threatening to do unto
Egypt as unto the cities of the Amorites, and exceedingly wroth by
reason of all his words that he spake concerning us as spies, yet when
we came again before him, his terror fell upon us all, and none of us
was able to speak a word to him, great or small. Now, therefore,
father, send the lad with us, and we will arise and go down into Egypt,
and buy food to eat, that we die not of hunger."[230]
Judah offered his portion in the world to come as surety for Benjamin,
and thus solemnly he promised to bring him back safe and sound, and
Jacob granted his request, and permitted Benjamin to go down into Egypt
with his other sons. They also carried with them choice presents from
their father for the ruler of Egypt, things that arouse wonder outside
of Palestine, such as the murex, which is the snail that produces the
Tyrian purple, and various kinds of balm, and almond oil, and pistachio
oil, and honey as hard as stone. Furthermore, Jacob put double money in
their hand to provide against a rise in prices in the meantime. And
after all these matters were attended to, he spake to his sons, saying:
"Here is money, and here is a present, and also your brother. Is there
aught else that you need?" And they replied, Yes, we need this,
besides, that thou shouldst intercede for us with God." Then their
father prayed:[231] "O Lord, Thou who at the time of creation didst
call Enough! to heaven and earth when they stretched themselves out
further and further toward infinity, set a limit to my sufferings, too,
say unto them, Enough![232] God Almighty give you mercy before the
ruler of Egypt, that he may release unto you Joseph, Simon, and
Benjamin."
This prayer was an intercession, not only for the sons of Jacob, but
also for their descendants—that God would deliver the Ten Tribes in
time to come, as He delivered the two, Judah and Benjamin, and after He
permitted the destruction of two Temples, He would grant endless
continuance to the third.[233]
Jacob also put a letter addressed to the viceroy of Egypt into the
hands of his son. The letter ran thus: "From thy servant Jacob, the son
of Isaac, the grandson of Abraham, prince of God, to the mighty and
wise king Zaphenathpaneah, the ruler of Egypt, peace! I make known unto
my lord the king that the famine is sore with us in the land of Canaan,
and I have therefore sent my sons unto thee, to buy us a little food,
that we may live, and not die. My children surrounded me, and begged
for something to eat, but, alas, I am very old, and I cannot see with
mine eyes, for they are heavy with the weight of years, and also on
account of my never-ceasing tears for my son Joseph, who hath been
taken from me. I charged my sons not to pass through the gate all
together at the same time, when they arrived in the city of Egypt, in
consideration of the inhabitants of the land, that they might not take
undue notice of them. Also I bade them go up and down in the land of
Egypt and seek my son Joseph, mayhap they would find him there.
"This did they do, but thou didst therefore account them as spies. We
have heard the report of thy wisdom and sagacity. How, then, canst thou
look upon their countenances, and yet declare them to be spies?
Especially as we have heard thou didst interpret Pharaoh's dream, and
didst foretell the coming of the famine, are we amazed that thou, in
thy discernment, couldst not distinguish whether they be spies or not.
"And, now, O my lord king, I send unto thee my son Benjamin, as thou
didst demand of my other sons. I pray thee, take good care of him until
thou sendest him back to me in peace with his brethren. Hast thou not
heard, and dost thou not know, what our God did unto Pharaoh when he
took our mother Sarah unto himself? Or what happened unto Abimelech on
account of her? And what our father Abraham did unto the nine kings of
Elam, how he killed them and exterminated their armies, though he had
but few men with him? Or hast thou not heard what my two sons Simon and
Levi did to the eight cities of the Amorites, which they destroyed on
account of their sister Dinah? Benjamin consoled them for the loss of
Joseph. What, then, will they do unto him that stretcheth forth the
hand of power to snatch him away from them?
"Knowest thou not, O king of Egypt, that the might of our God is with
us, and that He always hearkens unto our prayers, and never forsakes
us? Had I called upon God to rise up against thee when my sons told me
how thou didst act toward them, thou and thy people, ye all would have
been annihilated ere Benjamin could come down to thee. But I reflected
that Simon my son was abiding in thy house, and perhaps thou wast doing
kindnesses unto him, and therefore I invoked not the punishment of God
upon thee. Now my son Benjamin goeth down unto thee with my other sons.
Take heed unto thyself, keep thy eyes directed upon him, and God will
direct His eye upon all thy kingdom.
"I have said all now that is in my heart. My sons take their youngest
brother down into Egypt with them, and do thou send them all back to me
in peace."
This letter Jacob put into the keeping of Judah, charging him to
deliver it to the ruler of Egypt. His last words to his sons were an
admonition to take good care of Benjamin and not leave him out of their
sight, either on the journey or after their arrival in Egypt. He bade
farewell to them, and then turned in prayer to God, saying: "O Lord of
heaven and earth! Remember Thy covenant with our father Abraham.
Remember also my father Isaac, and grant grace unto my sons, and
deliver them not into the hands of the king of Egypt. O my God, do it
for the sake of Thy mercy, redeem my sons and save them from the hands
of the Egyptians, and restore their two brethren unto them."
Also the women and the children in the house of Jacob prayed to God
amid tears, and entreated Him to redeem their husbands and their
fathers out of the hands of the king of Egypt.[234]