Read Part One HERE
A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES
GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD
PART XXII
"We, the nine sons of Jacob, who had gathered in his tent, shared with him the details of our conversation with the "Egyptian" official when we had bought grain from him...We then waited for our father's response... We could see from his face that he still was not impressed with our replies to him... I, Judah... One of the nine sons.... Then decided to speak... I knew it was time to convince our father of the urgency of the situation... I knew too that I should be the one to speak up... After all, I had been the one brother who had suggested that we sell our brother Joseph to the merchants that many years ago... I have never forgotten what I did that day... Of course, our father does not know what really happened... And what role I played in that event... But it has always been on my conscience.... I would like to make amends if possible... Not that I can ever bring back our brother Joseph...He has gone forever... If he is still alive then he will be a slave of someone in Egypt... But I don't know if he can survive life as a slave since he never did any hard work as our father's favourite son...Unlike any of us who are used to taking care of the flocks.... But I can at least make sure that Benjamin will be safe when he comes with us to Egypt...So I told our father that I will personally guarantee his safety with my own life... I can only hope that our father will accept my offer of protection for his youngest son."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Judah, one of Jacob's sons, offers his life as an assurance that Benjamin will be returned to Jacob after their trip to Egypt...
ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES
GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD
PART XXII
The nine sons of Jacob, who have gathered in their father's tent in Canaan, can see from their father's expression on his face that he is not impressed with their reply for he still considers them to have been unwise in revealing to the "Egyptian" official the fact that they have a younger brother back home with their father. However, they know they need to convince their father to let Bernjamin go with them so Judah speaks up as you can read in Genesis 43:8-10
Then Judah said to his father, "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our chilren may live and not die. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice."
Judah speaks up for he remembers his role in the loss of Jacob's son, Joseph, since he was the one who suggested that Joseph be sold to the merchants rather than allowing him to go back home to his father.
Read Part Twenty-Three HERE
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