创世记——第四十三章

约拿

创世记第四十三章： 43:1 那地的饥荒甚大。 43:2 他们从埃及带来的粮食吃尽了，他们的父亲就对他们说：“你们再去给我籴些粮来。” 43:3 犹大对他说：“那人谆谆地告诫我们说：‘你们的兄弟若不与你们同来，你们就不得见我的面。’ 43:4 你若打发我们的兄弟与我们同去，我们就下去给你俸蟾； 43:5 你若不打发他去，我们就不下去，因为那人对我们说：‘你们的兄弟若不与你们同来，你们就不得见我的面。’” 43:6 以色列说：“你们为什么这样害我，告诉那人你们还有兄弟呢？” 43:7 他们回答说：“那人详细问到我们和我们的亲属说：‘你们的父亲还在吗？你们还有兄弟吗？’我们就按着他所问的告诉他，焉能知道他要说‘必须把你们的兄弟带下来’呢？” 43:8 犹大又对他父亲以色列说：“你打发童子与我同去，我们就起身下去，好叫我们和你，并我们的妇人孩子，都得存活，不至于死。 43:9 我为他作保，你可以从我手中追讨，我若不带他回来交在你面前，我情愿永远担罪。　 43:10 我们若没有耽搁，如今第二次都回来了。” 43:11 他们的父亲以色列说：“若必须如此，你们就当这样行：可以将这地土产中最好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、没药、榧子、杏仁，都取一点收在器具里，带下去送给那人作礼物。 43:12 又要手里加倍地带银子，并将归还在你们口袋内的银子仍带在手里；那或者是错了。 43:13 也带着你们的兄弟，起身去见那人。 43:14 但愿全能的　神使你们在那人面前蒙怜悯，释放你们的那弟兄和便雅悯回来。我若丧了儿子，就丧了吧！” 43:15 于是他们拿着那礼物，又手里加倍地带银子，并且带着便雅悯，起身下到埃及，站在约瑟面前。 43:16 约瑟见便雅悯和他们同来，就对家宰说：“将这些人领到屋里，要宰杀牲畜，预备筵席，因为晌午这些人同我吃饭。” 43:17 家宰就遵着约瑟的命去行，领他们进约瑟的屋里。 43:18 他们因为被领到约瑟的屋里，就害怕说：“领我们到这里来，必是因为头次归还在我们口袋里的银子，找我们的错缝，下手害我们，强取我们为奴仆，抢夺我们的驴。” 43:19 他们就挨近约瑟的家宰，在屋门口和他说话， 43:20 说：“我主啊，我们头次下来实在是要俸蟾。 43:21 后来到了住宿的地方，我们打开口袋，不料，各人的银子分量足数，仍在各人的口袋内，现在我们手里又带回来了。 43:22 另外又带下银子来俸蟾，不知道先前谁把银子放在我们的口袋里。” 43:23 家宰说：“你们可以放心，不要害怕，是你们的　神和你们父亲的　神赐给你们财宝在你们的口袋里。你们的银子我早已收了。”他就把西缅带出来交给他们。 43:24 家宰就领他们进约瑟的屋里，给他们水洗脚，又给他们草料喂驴。　 43:25 他们就预备那礼物，等候约瑟晌午来，因为他们听见要在那里吃饭。 43:26 约瑟来到家里，他们就把手中的礼物拿进屋去给他，又俯伏在地向他下拜。 43:27 约瑟问他们好，又问：“你们的父亲，就是你们所说的那老人家平安吗？他还在吗？” 43:28 他们回答说：“你仆人我们的父亲平安，他还在。”于是他们低头下拜。 43:29 约瑟举目看见他同母的兄弟便雅悯，就说：“你们向我所说那顶小的兄弟就是这位吗？”又说：“小儿啊，愿　神赐恩给你！” 43:30 约瑟爱弟之情发动，就急忙寻找可哭之地，进入自己的屋里，哭了一场。 43:31 他洗了脸出来，勉强隐忍，吩咐人摆饭。 43:32 他们就为约瑟单摆了一席，为那些人又摆了一席，也为和约瑟同吃饭的埃及人另摆了一席，因为埃及人不可和希伯来人一同吃饭；那原是埃及人所厌恶的。 43:33 约瑟使众弟兄在他面前排列坐席，都按着长幼的次序，众弟兄就彼此诧异。 43:34 约瑟把他面前的食物分出来，送给他们，但便雅悯所得的比别人多五倍。他们就饮酒，和约瑟一同宴乐。

约拿

　　四三1～15 最后，雅各在饥荒灾情紧迫的情况下采取行动。他的儿子们必须带便雅悯同赴埃及，这是宰相——约瑟所定的条件。因此，犹大愿替便雅悯作保，雅各亦同意。单凭这一点，这里犹大提醒我们，他的后裔主耶稣在各各他山十字架上替我们作保。雅各送了一份礼物给宰相，包括乳香、蜂蜜、香料、没药、榧子、杏仁，以不受饥荒影响的东西作礼。这一类的礼物，在埃及并不常见，在闹饥荒的年份就更稀罕了。他还坚持要带加倍的银子，以防问还给他们的银子是错了。这样既可以付上次买粮食的钱，又可以付这一次的账。雅各现在的做法不像那从前老是要把别人的东西拿来当作自己的雅各了。

　　四三16～25 约瑟重遇兄弟时，感触万分，但仍隐藏自己的身份。他吩咐家仆准备筵席。家仆领他们到约瑟的屋里，他们还以为约瑟会因为头次在他们口袋里找到的银子而斥责他们，就向家宰详细解释。家宰叫他们可以放心，根据他的记录，他早已收了他们的银子。请留意管家的解释：这是他们的神所作的，而不是埃及人的神所为。西缅出狱，准备与兄弟们一同赴宴，他们预备父亲交给他们的礼物，等候约瑟晌午来，交给约瑟。

　　“我们若问，归还给他们的银于究竟是在他们返回迦南（四二27；四三21）途中找到，还是在他们返抵父家，雅各（四二35）在场的时候找着的，答案是两者都对。发现银子的过程分为两个阶段：有一个兄弟在途中发现银子，其余的在返家时发现。约瑟的家宰（四三21）扼要说明事件的情况，是可以理解的。”（读经会出版《每日灵粮》）

　　四三26～34 约瑟来到家里，兄弟们就俯伏在地，向他下拜。正如他在梦中所见的（三七7）。约瑟问家人安，举目看见他同母的兄弟便雅悯，就心情激荡。筵席上，他单独进餐，为十一位兄弟摆了一席，又为埃及人同样摆了一席。约瑟使众兄弟在他面前按着长幼的次序坐席，众弟兄就感到诧异。在埃及，怎会有人知道他们长幼的次序呢？约瑟特别厚待便雅悯——他的亲生弟弟。“便雅悯所得的，比别人多五倍，”五倍的食物，不是为了让便雅悯更好的享受，而是为试验哥哥们的反应，是否仍心存嫉妒。

　　至于约瑟为什么要独坐一席呢？他是依照埃及等级制度的做法。埃及人自认为有高度文明、通晓世故，把牧人和游牧民族看为未开化的庸俗人。作为一个希伯来人，约瑟不能跟埃及人同席，即使他的身分地位比他们高；作为外族人和牧人，约瑟的哥哥们等级比任何一个埃及人都低，所以他们要分开、另坐一席。

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Genesis 43 The Return to Egypt 1(A)Now the famine was severe in the land. 2So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food." 3Judah spoke to him, however, saying, "(B)The man solemnly warned us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.' 4"If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5"But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'" 6Then Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?" 7But they said, "The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, '(C)Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?" 8Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, (D)that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. 9"(E)I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever. 10"For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice." 11Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man (F)as a present, a little (G)balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12"Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand (H)the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. 13"Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man; 14and may (I)God Almighty (J)grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you (K)your other brother and Benjamin And as for me, (L)if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." 15So the men took (M)this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. Joseph Sees Benjamin 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his (N)house steward, "Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon." 17So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house. 18Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys." 19So they came near to Joseph's house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, 20and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, 21and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, (O)each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full So (P)we have brought it back in our hand. 22"We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks." 23He said, "[a]Be at ease, do not be afraid. (Q)Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money " Then (R)he brought Simeon out to them. 24Then the man brought the men into Joseph's house and (S)gave them water, and they (T)washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder. 25So they prepared (U)the present for Joseph's coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there. 26When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and (V)bowed to the ground before him. 27Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, "(W)Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" 28They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." (X)They bowed down in homage. 29As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he said, "Is this (Y)your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "(Z)May God be gracious to you, my son." 30Joseph hurried out for (AA)he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and (AB)wept there. 31Then he washed his face and came out; and he (AC)controlled himself and said, "Serve the meal." 32So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is (AD)loathsome to the Egyptians. 33Now they were seated before him, (AE)the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 34He took portions to them from his own table, (AF)but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.