the antiquities of the jews-1-第17部分

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————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


you　will　come　to　me　again；　and　bring　your　brother；　whom　you　say
you　left　there；　along　with　you；　for　this　shall　be　by　me　esteemed
an　assurance　of　the　truth　of　what　you　have　told　me。〃　Hereupon
they　were　in　greater　grief　than　before；　they　wept；　and
perpetually　deplored　one　among　another　the　calamity　of　Joseph；
and　said；　〃They　were　fallen　into　this　misery　as　a　punishment
inflicted　by　God　for　what　evil　contrivances　they　had　against
him。〃　And　Reubel　was　large　in　his　reproaches　of　them　for　their
too　late　repentance；　whence　no　profit　arose　to　Joseph；　and
earnestly　exhorted　them　to　bear　with　patience　whatever　they
suffered；　since　it　was　done　by　God　in　way　of　punishment；　on　his
account。　Thus　they　spake　to　one　another；　not　imagining　that
Joseph　understood　their　language。　A　general　sadness　also　seized
on　them　at　Reubel's　words；　and　a　repentance　for　what　they　had
done；　and　they　condemned　the　wickedness　they　had　perpetrated；　for
which　they　judged　they　were　justly　punished　by　God。　Now　when
Joseph　saw　that　they　were　in　this　distress；　he　was　so　affected　at
it　that　he　fell　into　tears；　and　not　being　willing　that　they
should　take　notice　of　him；　he　retired；　and　after　a　while　came　to
them　again；　and　taking　Symeon　（6）　in　order　to　his　being　a　pledge
for　his　brethren's　return；　he　bid　them　take　the　corn　they　had
bought；　and　go　their　way。　He　also　commanded　his　steward　privily
to　put　the　money　which　they　had　brought　with　them　for　the
purchase　of　corn　into　their　sacks；　and　to　dismiss　them　therewith；
who　did　what　he　was　commanded　to　do。

5。　Now　when　Jacob's　sons　were　come　into　the　land　of　Canaan；　they
told　their　father　what　had　happened　to　them　in　Egypt；　and　that
they　were　taken　to　have　come　thither　as　spies　upon　the　king；　and
how　they　said　they　were　brethren；　and　had　left　their　eleventh
brother　with　their　father；　but　were　not　believed；　and　how　they
had　left　Symeon　with　the　governor；　until　Benjamin　should　go
thither；　and　be　a　testimonial　of　the　truth　of　what　they　had　said：
and　they　begged　of　their　father　to　fear　nothing；　but　to　send　the
lad　along　with　them。　But　Jacob　was　not　pleased　with　any　thing　his
sons　had　done；　and　he　took　the　detention　of　Symeon　heinously；　and
thence　thought　it　a　foolish　thing　to　give　up　Benjamin　also。
Neither　did　he　yield　to　Reubel's　persuasion；　though　he　begged　it
of　him；　and　gave　leave　that　the　grandfather　might；　in　way　of
requital；　kill　his　own　sons；　in　case　any　harm　came　to　Benjamin　in
the　journey。　So　they　were　distressed；　and　knew　not　what　to　do；
nay；　there　was　another　accident　that　still　disturbed　them　more；　…
the　money　that　was　found　hidden　in　their　sacks　of　corn。　Yet　when
the　corn　they　had　brought　failed　them；　and　when　the　famine　still
afflicted　them；　and　necessity　forced　them；　Jacob　did　（7）　＇not＇
still　resolve　to　send　Benjamin　with　his　brethren；　although　there
was　no　returning　into　Egypt　unless　they　came　with　what　they　had
promised。　Now　the　misery　growing　every　day　worse；　and　his　sons
begging　it　of　him；　he　had　no　other　course　to　take　in　his　present
circumstances。　And　Judas；　who　was　of　a　bold　temper　on　other
occasions；　spake　his　mind　very　freely　to　him：　〃That　it　did　not
become　him　to　be　afraid　on　account　of　his　son；　nor　to　suspect　the
worst；　as　he　did；　for　nothing　could　be　done　to　his　son　but　by　the
appointment　of　God；　which　must　also　for　certain　come　to　pass；
though　he　were　at　home　with　him；　that　he　ought　not　to　condemn
them　to　such　manifest　destruction；　nor　deprive　them　of　that
plenty　of　food　they　might　have　from　Pharaoh；　by　his　unreasonable
fear　about　his　son　Benjamin；　but　ought　to　take　care　of　the
preservation　of　Symeon；　lest；　by　attempting　to　hinder　Benjamin's
journey；　Symeon　should　perish。　He　exhorted　him　to　trust　God　for
him；　and　said　he　would　either　bring　his　son　back　to　him　safe；　or；
together　with　his；　lose　his　own　life。〃　So　that　Jacob　was　at
length　persuaded；　and　delivered　Benjamin　to　them；　with　the　price
of　the　corn　doubled；　he　also　sent　presents　to　Joseph　of　the
fruits　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　balsam　and　rosin；　as　also
turpentine　and　honey。　（8）　Now　their　father　shed　many　tears　at　the
departure　of　his　sons；　as　well　as　themselves。　His　concern　was；
that　he　might　receive　them　back　again　safe　after　their　journey；
and　their　concern　was；　that　they　might　find　their　father　well；
and　no　way　afflicted　with　grief　for　them。　And　this　lamentation
lasted　a　whole　day；　so　that　the　old　man　was　at　last　tired　with
grief；　and　staid　behind；　but　they　went　on　their　way　for　Egypt；
endeavoring　to　mitigate　their　grief　for　their　present
misfortunes；　with　the　hopes　of　better　success　hereafter。

6。　As　soon　as　they　came　into　Egypt；　they　were　brought　down　to
Joseph：　but　here　no　small　fear　disturbed　them；　lest　they　should
be　accused　about　the　price　of　the　corn；　as　if　they　had　cheated
Joseph。　They　then　made　a　long　apology　to　Joseph's　steward；　and
told　him；　that　when　they　came　home　they　found　the　money　in　their
sacks；　and　that　they　had　now　brought　it　along　with　them。　He　said
he　did　not　know　what　they　meant：　so　they　were　delivered　from　that
fear。　And　when　he　had　loosed　Symeon；　and　put　him　into　a　handsome
habit；　he　suffered　him　to　be　with　his　brethren；　at　which　time
Joseph　came　from　his　attendance　on　the　king。　So　they　offered　him
their　presents；　and　upon　his　putting　the　question　to　them　about
their　father；　they　answered　that　they　found　him　well。　He　also；
upon　his　discovery　that　Benjamin　was　alive；　asked　whether　this
was　their　younger　brother；　for　he　had　seen　him。　Whereupon　they
said　he　was：　he　replied；　that　the　God　over　all　was　his　protector。
But　when　his　affection　to　him　made　him　shed　tears；　he　retired；
desiring　he　might　not　be　seen　in　that　plight　by　his　brethren。
Then　Joseph　took　them　to　supper；　and　they　were　set　down　in　the
same　order　as　they　used　to　sit　at　their　father's　table。　And
although　Joseph　treated　them　all　kindly；　yet　did　he　send　a　mess
to　Benjamin　that　was　double　to　what　the　rest　of　the　guests　had
for　their　shares。

7。　Now　when　after　supper　they　had　composed　themselves　to　sleep；
Joseph　commanded　his　steward　both　to　give　them　their　measures　of
corn；　and　to　hide　its　price　again　in　their　sacks；　and　that　withal
they　should　put　into　Benjamin's　sack　the　golden　cup；　out　of　which
he　loved　himself　to　drink。　…　which　things　he　did；　in　order　to
make　trial　of　his　brethren；　whether　they　would　stand　by　Benjamin
when　he　should　be　accused　of　having　stolen　the　cup；　and　should
appear　to　be　in　danger；　or　whether　they　would　leave　him；　and；
depending　on　their　own　innocency；　go　to　their　father　without　him。
When　the　servant　had　done　as　he　was　bidden；　the　sons　of　Jacob；
knowing　nothing　of　all　this；　went　their　way；　and　took　Symeon
along　with　them；　and　had　a　double　cause　of　joy；　both　because　they
had　received　him　again；　and　because　they　took　back　Benjamin　to
their　father；　as　they　had　promised。　But　presently　a　troop　of
horsemen　encompassed　them；　and　brought　with　them　Joseph's
servant；　who　had　put　the　cup　into　Benjamin's　sack。　Upon　which
unexpected　attack　of　the　horsemen　they　were　much　disturbed；　and
asked　what　the　reason　was　that　they　came　thus　upon　men；　who　a
little　before　had　been　by　their　lord　thought　worthy　of　an
honorable　and　hospitable　reception？　They　replied；　by　calling　them
wicked　wretches；　who　had　forgot　that　very　hospitable　and　kind
treatment　which　Joseph　had　given　them；　and　did　not　scruple　to　be
injurious　to　him；　and　to　carry　off　that　cup　out　of　which　he　had；
in　so　friendly　a　manner；　drank　to　them；　and　not　regarding　their
friendship　with　Joseph；　no　more　than　the　danger　they　should　be　in
if　they　were　taken；　in　comparison　of　the　unjust　gain。　Hereupon　he
threatened　that　they　should　be　punished；　for　though　they　had
escaped　the　knowledge　of　him　who　was　but　a　servant；　yet　had　they
not　escaped　the　knowledge　of　God；　nor　had　gone　off　with　what　they
had　stolen；　and；　after　all；　asked　why　we　come　upon　them；　as　if
they　knew　nothing　of　the　matter：　and　he　told　them　that　they
should　immediately　know　it　by　their　punishment。　This；　and　more　of
the　same　nature；　did　the　servant　say；　in　way　of　reproach　to　them：
but　they　being　wholly　ignorant　of　any　thing　here　that　concerned
them；　laughed　at　what　he　said；　and　wondered　at　the　abusive
language　which　the　servant　gave　them；　when　he　was　so　hardy　as　to
accuse　those　who　did　not　before　so　much　as　retain　the　price　of
their　corn；　which　was　found　in　their　sacks；　but　brought　it　again；
though　nobody　else　knew　of　any　such　thing；　…　so　far　were　they
from　offering　any　injury　to　Joseph　voluntarily。　But　still；
supposing　that　a　search　would　be　a　more　sure　justification　of
themselves　than　their　own　denial　of　the　fact；　they　bid　him　search
them；　and　that　if　any　of　them　had　been　guilty　of　the　theft；　to
punish　them　all；　for　being　no　way　conscious　to　themselves　of　any
crime；　they　spake　with　assurance；　and；　as　they　thought；　without
any　danger　to　themselves　also。　The　servants　desired　there　might
be　a　search　made；　but　they　said　the　punishment　should　extend　to
him　alone　who　should　be　found　guilty　of　the　theft。　So　they　made
the　search；　and；　having　searched　all　the　rest；　they　came　last　of
all　to　Benjamin；　as　knowing　it　was　Benjamin's　sack　in　which　they
had　hidden　the　cup；　they　having　indeed　searched　the　rest　only　for
a　show　of　accuracy：　so　the　rest　were　out　of　fear　for　themselves；
and　were　now　only　concerned　about　Benjamin；　but　still　were　well
assured　that　he　would　also　be　found　innocent；　and　they　reproached
those　that　came　after　them　for　their　hindering　them；　while　they
might；　in　the　mean　while；　have　gotten　a　good　way　on　their
journey。　But　as　soon　as　they　had　searched　Benjamin's　sack；　they
found　the　cup；　and　took　it　from　him；　and　all　was　changed　into
mourning　and　lamentation。　They　rent　their　garments；　and　wept　for
the　punishment　which　their　brother　was　to　undergo　for　his　theft；
and　for　the　delusion　they　had　put　on　their　father；　when　they
promised　they　would　bring　Benjamin　safe　to　him。　What　added　to
their　misery　was；　that　this　melancholy　accident　came
unfortunately　at　a　time　when　they　thought　they　had　been　gotten
off　clear；　but　they　confessed　that　this　misfortune　of　their
brother；　as　well　as　the　grief　of　their　father　for　him；　was　owing
to　themselves；　since　it　was　they　that　forced　their　father　to　send
him　with　them