And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
The words are Judah's reminder to Joseph of Joseph's own earlier command that the brothers bring Benjamin down to Egypt so that he might set his eyes upon him. He spoke them aside to Joseph in the midst of his plea for Benjamin. That demand had been made because Joseph was seeking to learn what had become of his youngest brother.
Judah recalled the order to explain his father's reluctance to let Benjamin come to Egypt and his fear of losing him. Jacob was still in deep grief over the loss of Joseph. Benjamin was all that was left of Rachel, the mother his father had loved, his only remaining son by her. His father's life was bound up in the lad's life, so that the demand had caused great grief, and separation from Benjamin would bring overwhelming sorrow and even kill him.
Judah himself had become surety for Benjamin, pledging to bear the blame forever if he did not bring him back. The reminder leads to his noble offer to abide as a bondman in the lad's place and let Benjamin go up with his brothers. He could not meet his father without Benjamin with him, and could not bear to bring such sorrow upon him.
The words are Judah's reminder to Joseph of Joseph's own earlier command that the brothers bring Benjamin down to Egypt so that he might set his eyes upon him. He spoke them aside to Joseph in the midst of his plea for Benjamin. That demand had been made because Joseph was seeking to learn what had become of his youngest brother.
Judah recalled the order to explain his father's reluctance to let Benjamin come to Egypt and his fear of losing him. Jacob was still in deep grief over the loss of Joseph. Benjamin was all that was left of Rachel, the mother his father had loved, his only remaining son by her. His father's life was bound up in the lad's life, so that the demand had caused great grief, and separation from Benjamin would bring overwhelming sorrow and even kill him.
Judah himself had become surety for Benjamin, pledging to bear the blame forever if he did not bring him back. The reminder leads to his noble offer to abide as a bondman in the lad's place and let Benjamin go up with his brothers. He could not meet his father without Benjamin with him, and could not bear to bring such sorrow upon him.