Neither did he yield to Reubel's persuasion, though he begged it of him, and gave leave that the grandfather might, in way of requital, kill his own sons, in case any harm came to Benjamin in the journey.

So they were distressed, and knew not what to do; nay, there was another accident that still disturbed them more,--the money that was found hidden in their sacks of corn.

Yet when the corn they had brought failed them, and when the famine still afflicted them, and necessity forced them, Jacob did [7] [not] still resolve to send Benjamin with his brethren, although there was no returning into Egypt unless they came with what they had promised.

Now the misery growing every day worse, and his sons begging it of him, he had no other course to take in his present circumstances.

And Judas, who was of a bold temper on other occasions, spake his mind very freely to him: "That it did not become him to be afraid on account of his son, nor to suspect the worst, as he did; for nothing could be done to his son but by the appointment of God, which must also for certain come to pass, though he were at home with him; that he ought not to condemn them to such manifest destruction; nor deprive them of that plenty of food they might have from Pharaoh, by his unreasonable fear about his son Benjamin, but ought to take care of the preservation of Symeon, lest, by attempting to hinder Benjamin's journey, Symeon should perish.