the antiquities of the jews-1-第16章

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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；　when　he　was　averse　to　it。

8。　The　horsemen　therefore　took　Benjamin　and　brought　him　to
Joseph；　his　brethren　also　following　him；　who；　when　he　saw　him　in
custody；　and　them　in　the　habit　of　mourners；　said；　〃How　came　you；
vile　wretches　as　you　are；　to　have　such　a　strange　notion　of　my
kindness　to　you；　and　of　God's　providence；　as　impudently　to　do
thus　to　your　benefactor；　who　in　such　an　hospitable　manner　had
entertained　you　？〃　Whereupon　they　gave　up　themselves　to　be
punished；　in　order　to　save　Benjamin；　and　called　to　mind　what　a
wicked　enterprise　they　had　been　guilty　of　against　Joseph。　They
also　pronounced　him　more　happy　than　themselves；　if　he　were　dead；
in　being　freed　from　the　miseries　of　this　life；　and　if　he　were
alive；　that　he　enjoyed　the　pleasure　of　seeing　God's　vengeance
upon　them。　They　said　further；　that　they　were　the　plague　of　their
father；　since　they　should　now　add　to　his　former　affliction　for
Joseph；　this　other　affliction　for　Benjamin。　Reubel　also　was　large
in　cutting　them　upon　this　occasion。　But　Joseph　dismissed　them；
for　he　said　they　had　been　guilty　of　no　offense；　and　that　he　would
content　himself　with　the　lad's　punishment；　for　he　said　it　was　not
a　fit　thing　to　let　him　go　free；　for　the　sake　of　those　who　had　not
offended；　nor　was　it　a　fit　thing　to　punish　them　together　with　him
who　had　been　guilty　of　stealing。　And　when　he　promised　to　give
them　leave　to　go　away　in　safety；　the　rest　of　them　were　under
great　consternation；　and　were　able　to　say　nothing　on　this　sad
occasion。　But　Judas；　who　had　persuaded　their　father　to　send　the
lad　from　him；　being　otherwise　also　a　very　bold　and　active　man；
determined　to　hazard　himself　for　the　preservation　of　his　brother。
〃It　is　true；〃　（9）　said　he；　〃O　governor；　that　we　have　been　very
wicked　with　regard　to　thee；　and　on　that　account　deserved
punishment；　even　all　of　us　may　justly　be　punished；　although　the
theft　were　not　committed　by　all；　but　only　by　one　of　us；　and　he
the　youngest　also；　but　yet　there　remains　some　hope　for　us；　who
otherwise　must　be　under　despair　on　his　account；　and　this　from　thy
goodness；　which　promises　us　a　deliverance　out　of　our　present
danger。　And　now　I　beg　thou　wilt　not　look　at　us；　or　at　that　great
crime　we　have　been　guilty　of；　but　at　thy　own　excellent　nature；
and　take　advice　of　thine　own　virtue；　instead　of　that　wrath　thou
hast　against　us；　which　passion　those　that　otherwise　are　of　lower
character　indulge；　as　they　do　their　strength；　and　that　not　only
on　great；　but　also　on　very　trifling　occasions。　Overcome；　sir；
that　passion；　and　be　not　subdued　by　it；　nor　suffer　it　to　slay
those　that　do　not　otherwise　presume　upon　their　own　safety；　but
are　desirous　to　accept　of　it　from　thee；　for　this　is　not　the　first
time　that　thou　wilt　bestow　it　on　us；　but　before；　when　we　came　to
buy　corn；　thou　affordedst　us　great　plenty　of　food；　and　gavest　us
leave　to　carry　so　much　home　to　our　family　as　has　preserved　them
from　perishing　by　famine。　Nor　is　there　any　difference　between　not
overlooking　men　that　were　perishing　for　want　of　necessaries；　and
not　punishing　those　that　seem　to　be　offenders；　and　have　been　so
unfortunate　as　to　lose　the　advantage　of　that　glorious　benefaction
which　they　received　from　thee。　This　will　be　an　instance　of　equal
favor；　though　bestowed　after　a　different　manner；　for　thou　wilt
save　those　this　way　whom　thou　didst　feed　the　other；　and　thou　wilt
hereby　preserve　alive；　by　thy　own　bounty；　those　souls　which　thou
didst　not　suffer　to　be　distressed　by　famine；　it　being　indeed　at
once　a　wonderful　and　a　great　thing　to　sustain　our　lives　by　corn；
and　to　bestow　on　us　that　pardon；　whereby；　now　we　are　distressed；
we　may　continue　those　lives。　And　I　am　ready　to　suppose　that　God
is　willing　to　afford　thee　this　opportunity　of　showing　thy
virtuous　disposition；　by　bringing　us　into　this　calamity；　that　it
may　appear　thou　canst　forgive　the　injuries　that　are　done　to
thyself；　and　mayst　be　esteemed　kind　to　others；　besides　those　who；
on　other　accounts；　stand　in　need　of　thy　assistance；　since　it　is
indeed　a　right　thing　to　do　well　to　those　who　are　in　distress　for
want　of　food；　but　still　a　more　glorious　thing　to　save　those　who
deserve　to　be　punished；　when　it　is　on　account　of　heinous　offenses
against　thyself；　for　if　it　be　a　thing　deserving　commendation　to
forgive　such　as　have　been　guilty　of　small　offenses；　that　tend　to
a　person's　loss；　and　this　be　praiseworthy　in　him　that　overlooks
such　offenses；　to　restrain　a　man's　passion　as　to　crimes　which　are
capital　to　the　guilty；　is　to　be　like　the　most　excellent　nature　of
God　himself。　And　truly；　as　for　myself；　had　it　not　been　that　we
had　a　father；　who　had　discovered；　on　occasion　of　the　death　of
Joseph；　how　miserably　he　is　always　afflicted　at　the　loss　of　his
sons；　I　had　not　made　any　words　on　account　of　the　saving　of　our
own　lives；　I　mean；　any　further　than　as　that　would　be　an　excellent
character　for　thyself；　to　preserve　even　those　that　would　have
nobody　to　lament　them　when　they　were　dead；　but　we　would　have
yielded　ourselves　up　to　suffer　whatsoever　thou　pleasedst；　but　now
（for　we　do　not　plead　for　mercy　to　ourselves；　though　indeed；　if　we
die；　it　will　be　while　we　are　young；　and　before　we　have　had　the
enjoyment　of　life）　have　regard　to　our　father；　and　take　pity　of
his　old　age；　on　whose　account　it　is　that　we　make　these
supplications　to　thee。　We　beg　thou　wilt　give　us　those　lives　which
this　wickedness　of　ours　has　rendered　obnoxious　to　thy　punishment；
and　this　for　his　sake　who　is　not　himself　wicked；　nor　does　his
being　our　father　make　us　wicked。　He　is　a　good　man；　and　not　worthy
to　have　such　trials　of　his　patience；　and　now；　we　are　absent；　he
is　afflicted　with　care　for　us。　But　if　he　hear　of　our　deaths；　and
what　was　the　cause　of　it；　he　will　on　that　account　die　an　immature
death；　and　the　reproachful　manner　of　our　ruin　will　hasten　his
end；　and　will　directly　kill　him；　nay；　will　bring　him　to　a
miserable　death；　while　he　will　make　haste　to　rid　himself　out　of
the　world；　and　bring　himself　to　a　state　of　insensibility；　before
the　sad　story　of　our　end　come　abroad　into　the　rest　of　the　world。
Cons