BRAGADAYJAH 141

Israel was not about to risk losing his youngest son Benjamin; but in course of time, the corn that was brought up out of Egypt ran out, and so there was no way to turn again than back towards Egypt. So Israel told his sons to go back down to Egypt to buy more corn. But his son Judah reminded him that the Egyptian ruler was quite firm in his instructions to them that he did not want to see their faces again without young Benjamin. So Israel was told by his sons that they would not go down without Joseph. Now Israel was upset with his sons for shooting their mouths off about Benjamin; for so thought he, this Egyptian ruler would not have known about his youngest son had they not told him. So Israel told them straight up, “I feel as though you boys betrayed me. Why was it necessary to tell him you had a younger brother?” In their defense, the sons told their father that they did not in fact volunteer information about the family. The man asked them, as indeed was the case, “Is your father yet alive, have you another brother?” And of course they explained we answered truthfully according to the questions. “How could we know,” they asked their father, that the man would demand that they bring their youngest brother to Egypt? Then Judah spoke and told his father that he Judah would take full responsibility for what happened to Benjamin. Said he, “I would take full blame for ever if any ill should befall my brother Benjamin, and he was not again returned into your hand after we return from Egypt a second time. Only let us not delay any longer lest we all die from hunger.” Upon hearing Judah’s promise, Israel relented and said, “Alright go; but take a present for the ruler; some spices, a little honey, some fruit and some almonds, whatever you can find, take it and my son too, and go; but make sure you carry twice the money you need, and also the money that was replaced in the sacks. And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin also.” More