Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

had sold to the Ishmaelites. As Joseph saw his brothers stooping and
bowing down, his dreams and the scenes of the past rose vividly
before him. His keen eye discovered that Benjamin was not among
them. Was he also a victim of the brothers' treacherous cruelty?
Joseph determined to learn the truth. "You are spies!" he said
sternly. "You have come to see the nakedness of the land!"
They answered, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to
buy food. ... We are honest men; your servants are not spies." He
wanted to learn some information from them about their home, yet
he knew how deceptive their statements could be. He repeated the
charge, and they replied, "Your servants are twelve brothers, the
sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and in fact, the youngest is
with our father today, and one is no more."
Professing to doubt their story, the governor declared that he
would require them to remain in Egypt until one of them would go
and bring their youngest brother. If they would not agree, they were
to be treated as spies. But the sons of Jacob could not agree to this
arrangement, since the time required would cause their families to
suffer for food, and which one of them would set out on the journey
alone, leaving his brothers in prison? It seemed likely that they were
to be put to death or made slaves, and if Benjamin were brought, it
might be only to share their fate. They decided to remain and suffer
together rather than bring additional sorrow on their father by the
loss of his only remaining son, and so they were thrown into prison.
Wicked Men Had Learned Repentance
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