Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Conscience » Instances of » Of joseph's brethren
They said to one another: Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw his distress when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.
Sir, what can we say? Judah replied. How can we prove we are innocent? God has shown that we are guilty. And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup.
Conviction » Instances of » Joseph's brother, on account of their cruelty to joseph
Sir, what can we say? Judah replied. How can we prove we are innocent? God has shown that we are guilty. And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup.
They said to one another: Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw his distress when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us. Reuben said: Did I not tell you? Did I say, 'Do not sin against the boy'? You would not listen! Now comes the reckoning for his blood.
Joseph said to his brothers: I am Joseph! Is my father still alive? His brothers could not answer him because they were afraid of him.
After Jacob died, Joseph's brothers said to each other: What if Joseph still hates us and wants to get even with us for all the cruel things we did to him? Thus they sent word to Joseph, saying: Your father gave us orders before his death. He said, You are to say to Joseph: Let the wrongdoing of your brothers be overlooked, and the evil they did to you. If it is your pleasure, forgive the sin of the servants of your father's God.' Upon hearing these words Joseph was overcome with weeping. read more.
Then his brothers also came and immediately bowed down in front of him. We are your slaves! they said. Joseph replied to them: Do not be afraid! I cannot take God's place. Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it. This was to keep many people alive, as he is doing now. You have nothing to fear. I will take care of you and your children. So he reassured them with kind words that touched their hearts.
Then his brothers also came and immediately bowed down in front of him. We are your slaves! they said. Joseph replied to them: Do not be afraid! I cannot take God's place. Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it. This was to keep many people alive, as he is doing now. You have nothing to fear. I will take care of you and your children. So he reassured them with kind words that touched their hearts.
Integrity » Instances of » Jacob's sons, when accused by joseph of robbery
So the brothers took the gifts and twice as much money, and set out for Egypt with Benjamin. There they presented themselves to Joseph. He saw Benjamin and told the servant in charge of his house: Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and cook it, so they can eat with me at noon. The servant did as he was told. He took the brothers to Joseph's house. read more.
On the way they were worried and started talking: We are being taken there because of the money that was put back in our sacks last time. He will arrest us and take our donkeys. He will make us his slaves! When they arrived at Joseph's house, they said to the servant in charge: We came to Egypt once before to buy grain. When we stopped for the night, we each found in our grain sacks the exact amount we had paid. We have brought that money back. We brought enough money to buy more grain. We do not know who put the money in our sacks.
On the way they were worried and started talking: We are being taken there because of the money that was put back in our sacks last time. He will arrest us and take our donkeys. He will make us his slaves! When they arrived at Joseph's house, they said to the servant in charge: We came to Egypt once before to buy grain. When we stopped for the night, we each found in our grain sacks the exact amount we had paid. We have brought that money back. We brought enough money to buy more grain. We do not know who put the money in our sacks.
They answered him: What do you mean, Sir, by talking like this? We swear that we have done no such thing. You know that we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money we found in the top of our sacks. Why should we steal silver or gold from your master's house? If you find that one of us has the cup, then kill him. The rest of us will become your slaves. read more.
Good! the man replied. I would do what you have said. But only the one who has the cup will become my slave. The rest of you can go free. Each of the brothers quickly put his sack on the ground and opened it. Joseph's servant started searching the sacks. They began with the one that belonged to the oldest brother. When he came to Benjamin's sack, he found the cup. This upset the brothers so much that they began tearing their clothes in sorrow. Then they loaded their donkeys and returned to the city. When Judah and his brothers got there, Joseph was still at home. So they bowed down to Joseph. He asked them: What have you done? Did you not know I could find out? Sir, what can we say? Judah replied. How can we prove we are innocent? God has shown that we are guilty. And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup.
Good! the man replied. I would do what you have said. But only the one who has the cup will become my slave. The rest of you can go free. Each of the brothers quickly put his sack on the ground and opened it. Joseph's servant started searching the sacks. They began with the one that belonged to the oldest brother. When he came to Benjamin's sack, he found the cup. This upset the brothers so much that they began tearing their clothes in sorrow. Then they loaded their donkeys and returned to the city. When Judah and his brothers got there, Joseph was still at home. So they bowed down to Joseph. He asked them: What have you done? Did you not know I could find out? Sir, what can we say? Judah replied. How can we prove we are innocent? God has shown that we are guilty. And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup.
Judah » Son of jacob » Goes down into egypt for corn (grain)
Jacob sent Judah ahead to ask Joseph to meet them in Goshen. When they arrived,
The famine was extremely bad in the land. When they finished eating the grain they brought from Egypt, Israel said to his sons: Go back and buy us a little more food. Judah said to him: The man gave us strict warning! He said: 'You will not be allowed to see me again unless your brother is with you.' read more.
If you let our brother go with us, we will go and buy food for you. If you will not let him go, we will not go. The man said to us: 'You will not be allowed to see me again unless your brother is with you.' Israel asked: Why have you made trouble for me by telling the man you had another brother? They answered: The man kept asking about our family and us. He asked, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How could we possibly know he would say, 'Bring your brother here'? Then Judah said to his father Israel: Send the boy along with me. Let us get going so that we will not starve to death. I guarantee that he will come back. You can hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here in front of you, you can blame me the rest of my life. If we had not waited so long, we could have made this trip twice by now.
If you let our brother go with us, we will go and buy food for you. If you will not let him go, we will not go. The man said to us: 'You will not be allowed to see me again unless your brother is with you.' Israel asked: Why have you made trouble for me by telling the man you had another brother? They answered: The man kept asking about our family and us. He asked, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How could we possibly know he would say, 'Bring your brother here'? Then Judah said to his father Israel: Send the boy along with me. Let us get going so that we will not starve to death. I guarantee that he will come back. You can hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here in front of you, you can blame me the rest of my life. If we had not waited so long, we could have made this trip twice by now.
When Judah and his brothers got there, Joseph was still at home. So they bowed down to Joseph. He asked them: What have you done? Did you not know I could find out? Sir, what can we say? Judah replied. How can we prove we are innocent? God has shown that we are guilty. And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup. read more.
He said: It is far from me that I should do this. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant. As for you, you go in peace to your father. Judah went up to Joseph and said: Please, Sir, let me speak openly with you. Do not be angry with me, although you are equal to Pharaoh. Sir, you asked us, 'Do you have a father or a brother?' We answered, 'We have a father who is old and a younger brother born to him when he was already old. The boy's brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother's sons left, and his father loves him.' Then you said to us, 'Bring him here to me so that I can see him myself.' We replied, 'The boy cannot leave his father. If the boy leaves him, his father will die.' Then you said you will not be admitted to my presence again unless your youngest brother comes with you.' We went back and told our father what you said. He told us to return and buy a little food. We answered, 'We cannot go. We will not be admitted to the man's presence unless our youngest brother is with us. We can go only if our youngest brother also goes.' Our father said, 'You know that my wife Rachel bore me only two sons. One has already left me. He must have been torn to pieces by wild animals, because I have not seen him since he left. If you take this one from me now and something happens to him, the sorrow you would cause me would kill me, as old as I am.' That is why Benjamin must be with us when I go back to my father. He loves him so much that he will die if Benjamin does not come back with me. I promised my father I would bring him home safely. If I do not, I told my father he could blame me the rest of my life. Sir, I am your slave. Please let me stay here in place of Benjamin. Please let him return home with his brothers. How can I face my father if Benjamin is not with me? I could not bear to see my father in such sorrow.
He said: It is far from me that I should do this. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant. As for you, you go in peace to your father. Judah went up to Joseph and said: Please, Sir, let me speak openly with you. Do not be angry with me, although you are equal to Pharaoh. Sir, you asked us, 'Do you have a father or a brother?' We answered, 'We have a father who is old and a younger brother born to him when he was already old. The boy's brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother's sons left, and his father loves him.' Then you said to us, 'Bring him here to me so that I can see him myself.' We replied, 'The boy cannot leave his father. If the boy leaves him, his father will die.' Then you said you will not be admitted to my presence again unless your youngest brother comes with you.' We went back and told our father what you said. He told us to return and buy a little food. We answered, 'We cannot go. We will not be admitted to the man's presence unless our youngest brother is with us. We can go only if our youngest brother also goes.' Our father said, 'You know that my wife Rachel bore me only two sons. One has already left me. He must have been torn to pieces by wild animals, because I have not seen him since he left. If you take this one from me now and something happens to him, the sorrow you would cause me would kill me, as old as I am.' That is why Benjamin must be with us when I go back to my father. He loves him so much that he will die if Benjamin does not come back with me. I promised my father I would bring him home safely. If I do not, I told my father he could blame me the rest of my life. Sir, I am your slave. Please let me stay here in place of Benjamin. Please let him return home with his brothers. How can I face my father if Benjamin is not with me? I could not bear to see my father in such sorrow.