“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” [James 4:6]
When people grow old, besides reminiscing about the past, what else do they have to remember?
At eighty years old, he sat beneath the shadow of a huge rock halfway up Mount Sinai, watching lazy sheep gnawing on the grass squeezed out between the stones, and gazing at the wilderness below the mountain scorched red by the sun. The weather was so hot it felt like a fire, and the sheep instinctively climbed the mountain to find grass. He sat dazed in the shadows, sweat drying and leaving grooves on his dust-covered wrinkled face. His graying hair was messy like withered thorns around him, and his eyes occasionally teared by sunlight seemed to be the only proof he was alive. Just wait. If one day I die silently like this, I’ll be fine—I’ll no longer fear the Egyptians hunting me.
After fleeing for forty years and traveling thousands of miles, his heart was tense every day. He would rather herd sheep than come to the deserted mountainside than go to the crowded plains.
If I die, my true identity will be buried underground along with it. Perhaps my soul can return thousands of miles away to see my kin enslaved in Egypt.
Family, I haven’t seen you for forty years. Back then, I saw the Egyptian foreman oppressing you and, in a moment of anger, killed that cruel fellow. If you didn’t appreciate it, it would be one thing, but why did you spread the story of my murder so wildly that it reached Pharaoh’s ears, forcing me to flee?
I can only flee southeast into the wilderness of Midian, escape the vast lands of Egypt, and flee from the furious Pharaoh who pursues me! I grew up with him in the Egyptian palace. His sister rescued me from the Nile, and because of that, he learned my Hebrew heritage. When he heard that I had personally killed his officials, he flew into a rage and vowed to hunt me down to the ends of the earth, warning all Hebrews who tried to resist Egyptian rule.
O Egyptian godmother who rescued me from the Nile, how could I not thank you for saving my life? But the God who rescued me arranged for my own sister to recommend my birth mother to you as my nurse. My mother nursed me and told me my true background when she shed tears when I became aware of my origins. I kept the hatred of national oppression buried deep in my heart, enduring it silently until I was forty, until I saw that ruthless Egyptian foreman before it finally erupted.
I thought there would be a call of equal response, that compatriots would gather and rise up. Ha, how naive and ridiculous my thoughts were back then! I lived in a magnificent palace, dressed in Egyptian royal robes, speaking fluent Egyptian. In their eyes, I was no hero who saved them from disaster. I am nothing but a stubborn man who mistakes a thief for his father.
Even if my murder hadn’t been exposed, even if they had followed my orders, how could I have led them out of Egypt? A group of slaves fighting a powerful Egyptian army would be like an egg striking a rock. All are gone. I have been on the run for forty years, and eighty years of my life have only been a sigh, drifting everywhere, nothing compared to the thorns before me—born here and dying here.
Only, God of Israel, my mother often spoke of you, about you who promised my ancestor Jacob over two hundred years ago that we would leave Egypt and return to Canaan. But God, how could this promise possibly be fulfilled? The Israelites had lived in Egypt for two hundred years and had become slaves at the mercy of others. Their fate was to die from exhaustion in brick kilns and quarries. How could they possibly return to Canaan? Thinking of this, a thorn suddenly sprang up in front of Moses, crackling loudly.
Moses snapped out of his thoughts, looked up at the sky, and saw that the sun was truly on fire. He looked again at the burning thorns; the flames were red red, but no smoke rose. How is this possible? He couldn’t help but look closely at the fire—the thorns were completely unharmed in the flames!
How is this possible? Thorns burn but do not burn! Moses stood up, approached the fireball, rubbed his eyes, and examined them carefully. Suddenly, a voice rang out from the flames: “Moses, Moses.” ”
Moses was shocked and instinctively replied, “I’m here.” The voice in the fire continued, “Don’t come any closer here.” Take off your shoes, for where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. ”
Moses trembled with fear, took off his shoes, fell to the ground, and covered his face with his hands, as if dead. God said to Moses in the fire, “I have indeed seen the suffering of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cries of lamentation because of the oppression of the overseers; I truly know their pain. I have come to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them to a place of beauty and breadth, to Canaan, which flows with milk and honey. Now, go and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring out my people, Israel, out of Egypt. ”
At sunset, Abram fell asleep. Behold, a great and terrible darkness is falling upon him. The Lord said to Abram, “Know for sure that your descendants will live as foreigners in the land of others, serving the people of that land; The people of that land will torment them for four hundred years. But I will punish the kingdom they serve, and later they will come out of there with much wealth. [Genesis 15:12-14]
Time flies, and the ancestors of Israel have all passed away.
Abraham left his hometown at age 75, and at age 100, he waited in Canaan for God’s promised son Isaac. Isaac gave birth to twins named Esau and Jacob at the age of 60. God chose Jacob, took him away from Canaan at the age of 130, and his family of 70 people lived as foreigners in Egypt. From Abraham’s departure of my bait to Jacob’s departure from Egypt, a total of 215 years.
God renamed Jacob Israel. While Joseph was alive, Gosher was like a paradise on earth, rich in water and grass. Jacob’s descendants quickly multiplied and became a great clan. The Israelites were also called Hebrews.
After 70 years in Egypt, Joseph lived to 110 years old and left a final message for his descendants to bring their bones back to the promised land of God and bury them in Shechem.
Several years after Joseph’s death, a new Pharaoh ruled the land of Egypt. He saw the Israelites growing and prospering, with numbers even surpassing the native Egyptians, and became wary. He treated the Israelites harshly, demoted them into slaves, forced them to fire bricks with clay, build palaces, and harvest crops. Although life was hard, the people of Seliz were even more thriving.
The Egyptian Pharaoh finally issued a harsh decree: “Throw every baby boy born to the Hebrews into the Nile to drown, and let only the baby girls survive.” The Egyptian leaders inspected the homes of the Israelites; whenever they heard the crying of infants, they would rush in to check. If they saw a boy, they would immediately seize him and send men to drown him in the river. Mothers’ heart-wrenching cries filled the Israelites. A generation of baby boys was killed to death just like that. A few months later, the crying gradually stopped. One evening, in the sultry heat, Pharaoh’s daughter led a group of maids to bathe in the Nile River that flows through the palace.
That section of the river was dug into an exceptionally wide area, with gentle terrain and clear water, with tall reeds growing along both banks, like a natural curtain. The palace maids spread out along both sides of the riverbank, quietly watching for movements among the reeds, acting as vigilants, leaving only the princess bathing in the clear, warm river water.
As the sun sets, the palace casts a huge shadow on the river. In the distance, the water glimmers with specks of gold, and river birds soar over the water. With no wind, even the frogs in the reeds remain silent. The dusk was peaceful, and the princess was immersed in the joy of bathing, when suddenly the crisp cry of a baby rang out. The crying was so loud that every palace maid heard it. They all looked at the reeds not far upstream to see where the crying was coming from.
The nearby maid snapped out of it and quickly walked into the reeds, seeing a cattail box stuck inside, coated inside and out with dried asphalt and resin. Inside lay a baby boy, jet-black hair and bright eyes. He might have just woken up and was crying from hunger.
The palace maids carried the baby boy from the box and presented it to the princess. The princess had already returned to the riverside near the palace, dressed neatly. The baby boy stopped crying, quietly watching the princess holding him. The princess looked at him carefully and recognized him as a descendant of Israel, only two or three months old. She couldn’t help but think of the infant-killing decree her father had issued a few months earlier. Looking at the baby in her arms, she sighed softly. What crime did a baby commit? Which Hebrew mother, unable to bear her own flesh and age being killed by soldiers, placed her child in a box, which happened to be washed away by the current. Is this God’s will?
Thinking of this, the princess said to her subordinates, “I love this baby boy, and I want to take him as my adopted son.” This child is starving. Hurry and find me a Hebrew wet nurse to feed him. As they spoke, a palace maid brought in a Hebrew girl. The maid said, “This girl has been watching from afar just now, and Shanshan is unwilling to leave.”
Maybe she could help the princess find a suitable wet nurse. The princess looked at the girl; her eyes were as clear as the waters of the Nile, and urged her to hurry to find the wet nurse. The girl hurried off and soon brought a middle-aged Hebrew woman. Though her clothes were ragged, she was still strong.
The princess saw this and secretly felt relieved. She said to the woman, “Take this child and nurse him for me. I will pay you for his wages.” I will give you this jade I carry with me. If any Egyptian soldiers cause trouble for you and the children, show them this jade, and they will not dare to trouble you again. You bring the child every month, so I can take care of him. After the child is weaned, he will enter the palace and become my son. ”
The woman accepted the order and left. This Hebrew baby thus survived and grew into adulthood. As a result, his life was full of turmoil from the moment he was born. As soon as he became aware, he learned his true origins, not only burying it deep in his heart but also years later leading him to accomplish something world-renowned. His name was Moses, meaning “to be lifted up.”
These people died in faith, not having received what was promised, but watching from afar and gladly welcoming them. They admitted that on earth, they were travelers, sojourners. “[Hebrews 11:13]
Time flew by, and Egypt’s seven years of disaster passed, followed by another twelve years. Jacob’s family of seventy had migrated from Canaan to Egypt for seventeen years, living in the land of Goshen given by Pharaoh, herding cattle and sheep. Because the Egyptians hated shepherds, Jacob’s family was therefore not controlled.
Because the land of Goshen was rich in water and grass, and during famine the Egyptians sold their livestock to Joseph in exchange for grain, Jacob’s family was able to live without worries, herds of cattle and sheep, and the family rapidly prospered.
Seventeen years passed; Joseph was fifty-seven, and James was one hundred forty-seven. Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years, gradually growing old. His once-strong body shrank into a shriveled shell, his eyes nearly blind, and he could no longer walk, lying in bed quietly recalling the past. Hearing that his father was bedridden, Joseph came to visit with his two children.
Jacob forced himself up from bed, leaning on his staff, reflecting on the long years of his life, and slowly said to Joseph: “When I was young, while fleeing from danger, I met God under the starry sky in Bethel. He promised me to be fruitful and multiply, and to give me the good land of Canaan as my descendants.
Twenty years later, I returned to Bethel from Laban, and God spoke to me again at night, reaffirming the original promise. Before I came to Egypt, beside the well at Beersheba, under the starry night sky, God appeared to me again and promised that my descendants would become a great family in Egypt.
“God’s promises will surely be fulfilled, even though I cannot see it with my own eyes. Son, now that my return is near, come and let me bless your two sons as if they were my sons, so that God’s blessings may come to your home twice. “Your mother, my beloved wife, died in childbirth on my way south to Canaan, and I buried her by the roadside in Bethlehem.
More than forty years have passed. I have missed her every day, and now I am about to follow her. My son, promise me, after I die, you will take me back to Canaan and bury me with your ancestor and father, in a cave in the field of Maibilah opposite Manli, which your ancestor bought from Ephron the Hittite.
On your way to bury me, you will pass by your mother’s grave. Please pay my respects to her. “Joseph tearfully agreed to each one.
After Jacob finished speaking, he blessed Joseph’s two sons, then leaned on the head of his staff, worshipped God at the bedside, and murmured his thanks.
Joseph helped Jacob lie down, covered him with a blanket, and led his two sons out of their father’s tent. They saw the green grass in Goshen, streams flowing like threads, cattle and sheep in full bloom, and nephews and grandchildren grazing carefree.
Not long after, news spread that Jacob was seriously ill, and twelve sons rushed over, gathering around their father’s bedside. Jacob could no longer sit up, but his mind remained clear. He was blind and could not see his sons, but in his heart he saw God’s revelation to his sons that they would become twelve tribes in the future.
Jacob thanked God again in his heart, for God had rejected his brother Esau but chose all twelve of his sons. The sons committed all kinds of sins, but God taught them humility through all kinds of trials, confessed their sins to one another, forgave one another, and thus came to know and trust in God.
It was late at night, and the starry sky outside was surely still brilliant. But the moment for his return had come, and he could soon see the creator behind the stars with his own eyes. If you leave alone, only God will personally lead the children step by step to fulfill His promise.
This takes time, and even more so, trust. Thinking of this, James said, “Sons of Jacob, come forward and listen attentively, to the words of your father Israel. So Jacob, in order of seniority, called each child to his bedside and blessed them one by one.
After blessing, he pulled his feet back and straightened out, lay flat, and gently exhaled his last breath, surrendering his soul to God. Jacob left, and God ultimately shaped the deceitful and deceitful him into a gentle and humble person. His life was filled with hardship and tears, yet he died gratefully and contentedly.
He died in faith, and God did not put him to shame. Because God’s promise to Jacob has been fulfilled and will ultimately be fulfilled. Because God had renamed Jacob Israel. To this day, the nation of Israel is still waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled.
“The Lord should be praised, for He has heard my plea. The Lord is my strength, my shield; I trust in Him in my heart and am helped. ” [Psalm 28:6]
Jacob, who was 130 years old, smiled like a child. After more than thirty years, he smiled happily for the first time. After his wife Rachel passed away over thirty years ago, he became stern and unsmiling; after Joseph “died” over twenty years ago, he became even more reserved. In his pain, he could only confide in God, but for thirty years, God remained silent.
He wondered whether God had withdrawn his promise to his grandfather because of his sin, or if he had abandoned his entire family because of it. Suffering followed one after another, seemingly as retribution for him. His daughter was raped, his beloved wife died young, the eldest son committed adultery with his stepmother, the second and third sons committed a brutal massacre, the fourth son committed incest with his daughter-in-law, Joseph died suddenly, and Leah also left behind, leaving only him barely clinging to life. God, more than two hundred years have passed since your promise to my ancestors, yet I still haven’t become a great clan, still have no land, and even survival is a problem. I had to send my sons twice to Egypt to buy grain.
However, all eleven sons came back safely. Simeon and Benjamin actually returned together.
They actually returned riding Egyptian wagons and caravans of donkeys, dressed in Egyptian clothing, loaded with Egyptian grain and specialties. Jacob was overjoyed to see them return safely, but was puzzled to see their plump white clothes in new clothes. The ten brothers knelt down together and said to Jacob, “Father, please forgive our unfilial and unrighteous children.”
Joseph’s brother is not dead; he is still alive. He is now the prime minister of Egypt! Jacob could hardly believe his ears.
Joseph had been bitten to death by a beast for twenty-three years—how could he still be alive?! Listening to the sons’ tearful confessions and detailed accounts of everything that happened in Egypt, Jacob’s dead heart slowly came back to life. Children, you have troubled me all these years, and have also harmed Joseph.
But no matter what, Joseph is still alive! Jacob grinned with a toothless mouth, shaking his snow-white beard, and smiled like a child: “This is actually true!” My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to Egypt to see him while I am still alive. “Father, my brother Joseph told us that we should move our whole family to Egypt to settle, because the famine would not end for five years. Joseph also said that Pharaoh promised to divide the best land for us to live in. ”
Jacob’s heart sank. Am I really going to leave Canaan again at my age? Haven’t I been moving my whole life? Wasn’t Canaan promised by God to my ancestors, my father, and my descendants? Once I leave, can I come back alive? God, how will Your promise be fulfilled? The sons saw their father hesitate and said to him, “When our brother is reunited, he instructs us: Do not resent yourselves for selling me to Egypt.”
God sent me here through your hand to preserve your seed in the world, to save you, and to preserve your lives. It seems that it was not you who brought me here, but God. Hearing this, Jacob suddenly recalled the strange dream Joseph had as a child.
The dream really came true today. God, you have not forgotten my whole family; you have prepared everything for today. Jacob said to his sons, “Since that’s the case, let us go together to Egypt to find Joseph and reunite our families.” So the family set out for Egypt, and Jacob set out for Egypt with his 66 descendants and their wives and relatives. After traveling for two days, they stayed overnight in Bethshepa. Beersheba was the last major city before leaving Canaan.
Back then, his grandfather Abraham once lived here, and his father Isaac also dug wells and grazed here. Under the starlight, Jacob lingered by the well, remembering his deceased father and offering sacrifices to God, burning lambs over the campfire, looking up to watch smoke curl away into the night, recalling his years drifting on this land and counting God’s blessings over him.
“Jacob! Jacob! “God, I’m here.” In his deep thought, Jacob heard God’s voice. More than thirty years later, God spoke to him again: “I am God, the God of your Father. Do not be afraid to go to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. I will go with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back here. Joseph will surely close your eyes with his own hands. Under the starlight, Jacob bowed deeply, tears streaming down onto the parched earth. Farewell, not Sheba, farewell to Canaan, God, thank you. Although I cannot see the day Your promise is fulfilled, my children and grandchildren will surely return home.
“Judas, your brothers will praise you, your hand will grasp the necks of your enemies, and your father’s sons will bow down before you. The scepter will not leave Judah, nor will the ruler’s rod leave between his feet, until Seloh comes, and all nations will submit to him. ” [Genesis 49:8]
The sun had not yet risen, the air was fresh, and eleven brothers sat on donkey carts, whipping their horses toward their eastern hometown. After more than half a year, they reunited. The silver was exchanged for a heavy grain supply. Simeon was released from prison, and his younger brother Benjamin returned safely and again. If the elderly father at home knew such a good outcome, he would surely smile with relief. Thinking of his elderly father and wife and children at home, and then turning to look at the heavy grain sack, they couldn’t help but smile.
Yesterday, they never dreamed they would be invited to the home of the Egyptian prime minister for lunch. At first, they were worried and scared, eating every bite with trembling fear. But in the end, the prime minister didn’t make things difficult for them; instead, he kept asking about their family’s situation, especially their elderly father. Although they didn’t understand, they didn’t think much of it. After the meal, the steward had already loaded the well-fed donkeys from the backyard onto the donkey cart, which was already filled with the empty grain bags they had brought. They hurriedly thanked the prime minister and took their leave. I didn’t expect the second grain purchase to go so smoothly. The butler even instructed them to leave this morning. Early in the morning, taking advantage of the coolness, they left the city gate and took the official road. On the road, there was only their donkey cart, and the tall pyramid to the west gradually faded into the distance. If you keep going like this, you can be home in ten days or half a month. The morning silence was suddenly shattered, and the sound of hurried hooves came from behind.
They looked back and saw the royal tall carriage speeding over, kicking up clouds of dust. They hurriedly drove the donkey cart to the side of the official road, making way for the carriage. The carriage arrived quickly, but stopped abruptly beside their donkey cart. The brothers were puzzled when the prime minister’s steward had already gotten down from the carriage. The gentle smile from yesterday turned into a stern and angry expression: “The prime minister treated you warmly yesterday, yet you actually stole the silver cup used in the chancellor’s ritual while he was off guard!” How could you commit such evil deeds? The brothers looked at each other, not expecting the butler to be so wronged.
They discerned, “How can you say that, sir?” We traveled thousands of miles here to buy grain, and for some reason, the silver we spent on our first purchase ended up in our pockets. We brought all that silver with us this time, so how could we possibly steal the prime minister’s gold or silver cup? We absolutely did not steal. The steward still looked angry: “Don’t you know the Prime Minister can foresee the future?” He sent me here to pursue you—would he wrongly accuse you? “Sir, since you say so, then search us. If you find a silver cup in any car between us, kill him on the spot. The rest of us brothers would rather be slaves to the prime minister.”
“That’s settled. But whoever I find a cup with, I’ll capture them as a slave. The rest of you brothers can return home safely.” After speaking, the steward gave his subordinate a meaningful look. His men began searching the boss, first searching him and then opening the grain sack, but found no cup. They searched one by one, and by the tenth brother, the result was the same: no cup. The brothers exchanged glances, and once they finished searching for their subordinate Benjamin, they could set out again.
Benjamin’s grain bag was opened. The supervisor reached into the grain, grabbed it a few times, and suddenly took out a silver cup covered in grain dust.
He shouted loudly, “There really is a thief among you.” Someone, tie up this thief and drag him back to the palace. The rest of you, let’s go. The eleven brothers could hardly believe their eyes, dumbfounded for a moment. Benjamin was the first to break the silence, crying loudly, “Brothers, I really didn’t steal the silver cup.” Supervisor, I am innocent. The brothers also shed tears, tearing their clothes in pain, looking up to the sky and sighing deeply, saying to the supervisor: “We are willing to go back as slaves with our brothers.” ”
It was nearly noon. Joseph finished his official business but did not leave the government office to go home for dinner; he was waiting for the supervisor to come back. Yesterday, he entertained eleven brothers and quietly told the supervisor to bury the silver cup in Benjamin’s grain sack, so he could “catch” him back according to the plan—first reuniting with brothers, then reuniting with his father.
Sure enough, the supervisor and his group returned. Joseph was first delighted to see Benjamin, then shocked again when he saw his ten brothers. Why did they come back together too? Just as they were thinking, the supervisor pressed Benjamin down and walked into the hall. The eleven brothers knelt down together, their faces full of sorrow, silent. Seeing this, Joseph feigned anger and said, “Why do you do such evil?” Do you think you can escape? Do you not know that I can foresee the future! ”
Hearing the prime minister’s rebuke, the fourth brother Judah looked up at his younger brother Benjamin, thinking of his deceased wife and two sons, and of the entrustment he had made to his elderly father before coming. He made up his mind and said to Joseph, “My lord, things have come to this; how can we prove our innocence?” This is God punishing our previous sins.
My lord, since you have found the silver cup in my brother’s sack, all our brothers willingly become your slaves. “After saying this, tears streamed down her face. Joseph was startled again and hurriedly said, “I would never act like this!” Whoever hides the cup becomes my slave.
As for you, you may return safely to your father. Judah approached and said to Joseph, “My lord, please allow me to say one more word, so I won’t be angry.” This little brother was acquired by my father when he was old. After giving birth to him, his mother died, and his brother later died as well. My father, missing his deceased wife and son, kept his brother by his side all day. His old life was truly tied to this young man. This time we brought him here. Father was extremely reluctant to part, but because you insisted on seeing him, he let him come.
Before coming, I promised my father that I would bring my brother home safely, or else I would bear all the consequences. Now, if the brother cannot return to their father, the white-haired man will surely descend to the underworld in misery. Now, please keep me and redeem my brother as a slave. Let this young man go home with his brothers. ”
Seeing the sorrowful expression on Judah’s face, Joseph seemed to recall his own desperate pleas from twenty years ago. Thinking of his father, whom he hadn’t seen for twenty years, waiting alone at home, and of his deceased mother and the hardship of being a slave alone in Egypt, Joseph could no longer hold back. Before the translator could even speak, he loudly said to his attendants, “All of you, leave immediately!” As soon as he left, Joseph looked at his brothers and burst into tears: “I am Joseph!” The crying shook the heavens, shocking the Egyptians inside and outside the palace.
“How profound is God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge! His judgment is truly unpredictable! How hard it is to find his whereabouts! ” [Romans 11:3]
The ten brothers came again, this time bringing their brother Benjamin. The last time they bought grain was gone, the world was still suffering from drought. To survive, they had no choice but to come to Egypt to buy grain again, and also to meet the Egyptian vizier once more and redeem Simeon from prison. Outside Joseph’s residence, they anxiously awaited the summons.
But then an official took him away from the government office and brought him to the prime minister’s residence. They looked at each other. The last time they saw the prime minister, they were still shaken. Second brother Simian was still in prison—why was he going to the prime minister’s house instead of discussing official business? Are we going to catch all of us in one net and punish us harshly under family law? They didn’t dare to think too much and drove the donkey cart, which carried sacks filled with local specialties from their hometown.
He continued to speak kindly to the steward who led the way, watching his expressions and following him into the prime minister’s luxurious residence. Inside the residence, trees were lush and green, birds sang and flowers bloomed, the courtyard was unique, and the pond was tranquil, like a paradise on earth, completely free from the drought outside.
The Egyptian household slaves saw that they were foreigners and dressed as shepherds, which they hated most, looked down on them with contempt, pinching their noses and avoiding them. They grew even more anxious, but the supervisor led them into a dining hall, where several tables were already lined up and chairs arranged in order. The supervisor had the servants lead the donkey to the backyard to eat the feed, then waved his hand, and several other servants brought over the second brother Simian, whom he hadn’t seen for over half a year. Although they were delighted by each other, they dared not speak, only signaling with their eyes. The supervisor then had people wash the faces and feet of the eleven brothers.
After finishing all the work, it was noon. Sunlight poured down, but the courtyard was still shaded by greenery.
The supervisor left, leaving only eleven brothers in the dining hall. They stood with their hands hanging, holding their breath and focused, anxious as they waited for the prime minister to appear. In the silence, the prime minister stood with imposing authority. He stepped into the dining hall, and the eleven brothers all bowed their heads in thanks upon seeing this. They brought local specialties such as frankincense, honey, and nuts from their hometowns and offered them with their own hands to the prime minister.
He then took out double the silver to buy grain and urgently explained, “My lord, please believe that last time we really wanted to buy grain. Later, when we arrived at the lodging and opened the grain sacks, we found that everyone’s silver was still in their own bags, and the amount was not small.
We don’t know who put the silver in the bag. Now we brought it back with our own hands, and we brought enough silver to buy grain. Joseph did not reply, signaling the steward to take away the gifts and silver, then looked down at the eleven brothers kneeling on the ground. In twenty years, this was the first time he had looked at them so closely—so close, yet as if in a dream. He remained calm and greeted them in Egyptian: “Is your father, the old man you speak of, well?” Is he still around? Eleven people bowed their heads again: “Your servant, our father, is safe and well.” ”
Joseph lowered his head and looked intently at his brother Benjamin. Twenty years ago, the child they parted with was not yet ten years old; today he was a handsome young man. Back then, we thought our separation was just a brief farewell, but I never dreamed we’d meet again like this twenty years later. The younger brother looked normal, so it seemed the older brothers hadn’t made things difficult for him. Suppressing his excitement, Joseph asked, “Is the youngest brother you told me about really this one?” Really? My son, may God bless you! Benjamin looked up in thanks, meeting Joseph’s gaze.
In that instant, Joseph seemed to see the compassionate look in his brother’s face when his mother was alive, and also saw the sighs of his father’s toil after twenty years apart.
In that moment, Joseph seemed to see all the hardships he had endured once again. He turned to the butler and said, “Let them have their seats,” then quickly walked out.
He pressed his lips tightly together, walked into a room of his own, closed the door, and collapsed onto the bed, crying bitterly. Afraid outsiders would hear, he covered his cheeks and bit his lower lip, but tears streamed down his face and his whole body trembled uncontrollably. After a moment, he restrained himself, tried to calm down, wiped away his tears, washed his face, straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and walked out slowly back to the dining room.
In the dining room, the steward had already seated eleven brothers around a row of tables, arranged from oldest to youngest according to Joseph’s morning instructions. Joseph sat alone at a table at the head of the table, watching his ten brothers and brothers eat together in a reserved but harmonious manner. Back then, when had they ever shared a meal so quietly and harmoniously?
Following Joseph’s arrangements, the steward ordered his servants to serve lavish dishes of wine and meat, each time giving Benjamin more than five times the amount, while treating the other ten brothers equally. Joseph observed secretly but saw no strange looks from his brothers toward his younger brother. He felt a bit relieved, but missed his elderly father thousands of miles away even more.
He calculated that there would be five years of drought, and to see his father, he had to bring him to Egypt. Before that, he had to leave his younger brother in Egypt first, so he could quickly bring his father back without worries.
Ten brothers, even though you don’t know I am Joseph, I have treated you with utmost kindness. Out of fear of God, I will not take revenge on you. Tomorrow morning, I will send you back to Canaan, and I fear we will never meet again in this lifetime. This meal was both a farewell and a final farewell. Joseph made up his mind, picked up his glass, and toasted the eleven brothers.
They quickly picked up their glasses and thanked them. Joseph put down his glass, feeling a bit more at ease. He gave him a look, and the supervisor walked over. Joseph quietly gave him a few instructions in his ear. Joseph’s brothers did not realize that these few commands, because of God’s intervention, would forever influence their lives and human history.