mercy: he was so moved by the sight of them and their anxieties that he could not restrain his tears. Is he not a noble and beautiful character ? Would that all brothers and sisters loved each other like that!
Restitution. Jacob bade his sons take back with them the money which they had found in their sacks* the reason which he gave being that it might have been put there by mistake. Jacob was, we can see by this, upright and conscientious, and wished to restore what he had found to its owner. “If”, said he to himself, “this Egyptian governor refuses to take money for the corn, and has had the money returned in the sacks on purpose, then we can keep it with a clear conscience; but if it has been given back by mistake, I will, anyhow, return it, and then my conscience cannot reproach me.”
Application. How do you behave to your brothers and sisters? Do you provoke or strike them? And are you angry and revengeful when they have injured you? Do you often quarrel with them? Where, then, is your love for them? You ought to love all your neighbours; and surely your brothers and sisters are nearer to you than any one else, and you ought to love them more than any one else.
Do you really love your parents ? Do you ever vex or grieve them? You will have neither happiness nor blessing in life, if you do not honour your parents.
Have you kept anything which does not belong to you? Have you always restored anything you have found to its owner, or returned the money when too much change has been given to you &c.?
Chapter XXIV.
JOSEPH'S SILVER CUP.
[Gen. 44.]
THEN Joseph commanded the steward to fill their sacks with corn, and to put each one’s money in the top of his sack; but to place in the mouth of Benjamin’s sack Joseph’s own silver cup. This was done, and the brothers set out on their journey.
But they had scarcely gone forward a little way, when Joseph sent his steward after them, who, overtaking them, accused them of stealing his master’s cup. He said: “Why have ye returned evil for good?”[1] Struck with terror, and angry at being suspected of theft, the brothers replied: “With whomsoever the cup shall
- ↑ Evil for good. Why have you thus repaid the hospitality of my master?
