[Illustration:  "What wicked thing is this that you have done?"]

“No,” said Joseph.  “Only one of you is guilty; the one who has taken away my cup.  I will hold him as a slave, and the rest of you can go home to your father.”

Joseph wished to see whether his brothers were still selfish, and were willing to let Benjamin suffer, if they could escape.

Then Judah, the very man who had urged his brothers to sell Joseph as a slave, came forward, and fell at Joseph’s feet, and pleaded with him to let Benjamin go.  He told again the whole story, how Benjamin was the one whom his father loved the most of all his children, now that his brother was lost.  He said: 

“I promised to bear the blame, if this boy was not brought home in safety.  If he does not go back it will kill my poor old father, who has seen much trouble.  Now let my youngest brother go home to his father, and I will stay here as a slave in his place!”

Joseph knew now, what he had longed to know, that his brothers were no longer cruel nor selfish, but one of them was willing to suffer, so that his brother might be spared.  And Joseph could not any longer keep his secret, for his heart longed after his brothers; and he was ready to weep again, with tears of love and joy.  He sent all of his Egyptian servants out of the room, so that he might be alone with his brothers, and then he said: 

“Come near to me; I wish to speak with you.”  And they came near, wondering.  Then Joseph said: 

“I am Joseph; is my father really alive?”

How frightened his brothers were, as they heard these words spoken in their own language by the ruler of Egypt and for the first time knew that this stern man, who had their lives in his hand, was their own brother whom they had wronged!  Then Joseph said again: 

“I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.  But do not feel troubled because of what you did.  For God sent me before you to save your lives.  There have been already two years of need and famine, and there are to be five years more, when there shall neither be plowing of the fields nor harvest.  It was not you who sent me here, but God; and he sent me to save your lives.  God has made me like a father to Pharaoh and ruler over all the land of Egypt.  Now I wish you to go home, and to bring down to me my father and all his family.”

Then Joseph placed his arms around Benjamin’s neck, and kissed him, and wept upon him.  And Benjamin wept on his neck.  And Joseph kissed all his brothers, to show them that he had fully forgiven them; and after that his brothers began to lose their fear of Joseph and talked with him more freely.

Afterward Joseph sent his brothers home with good news, and rich gifts, and abundant food.  He sent also wagons in which Jacob and his sons’ wives and the little ones of their families might ride from Canaan down to Egypt.  And Joseph’s brothers went home happier than they had been for many years.