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[105]
And thus did Reubel endeavor to persuade Joseph to have a better
opinion of them. But when he had learned from them that Jacob was alive,
and that his brother was not destroyed by them, he for the present put
them in prison, as intending to examine more into their affairs when he
should be at leisure. But on the third day he brought them out, and said
to them, "Since you constantly affirm that you are not come to do
any harm to the king's affairs; that you are brethren, and the sons of
the father whom you named; you will satisfy me of the truth of what you
say, if you leave one of your company with me, who shall suffer no injury
here; and if, when ye have carried corn to your father, 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 1
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.
1 The reason why Symeon might be selected out of the rest for Joseph's prisoner, is plain in the Testament of Symeon, viz. that he was one of the bitterest of all Joseph's brethren against him, sect. 2; which appears also in part by the Testament of Zabulon, sect. 3.
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