1
Genesis 44:1
繁體中文
英文原文
And my cup. - Besides returning each man's money as before, a silver cup of Joseph's is put in Benjamin's bag, after which, when daylight comes, they are dismissed. They are scarcely out of the town when Joseph's steward is ordered to overtake them, and charge them with stealing the cup. "And whereby indeed he divineth." Divining by cups, we learn from this, was a common custom in Egypt (Herodotus ii. 83). It is here mentioned to enhance the value of the cup. Whether Joseph really practised any sort of divination cannot be determined from this passage.
6
Genesis 44:6
繁體中文
那杯在便雅憫的口袋裏被搜了出來。「將這些話對他們說了。」這些話是約瑟的話，其中自然補上了對杯的提及——在本文裏，杯只以代名詞「這」表示。「尚且從迦南地帶來還你」。我們本可留為己有、在我們呈上時你也未曾主張任何權利的銀子，我們尚且帶來還你；這樣，我們又怎麼會偷竊銀子呢？「現在就照你們的話行吧！」他接受他們的條件，但加以減輕：搜出杯來的那人要終身為奴，其餘的人都得釋放無罪。家宰從最年長的搜到最年幼的。那杯就在被放的地方被搜了出來。
英文原文
The cup is found in Benjamin's bag. "Spake unto them these words." The words of Joseph, supplying of course the mention of the cup which is expressed in the text only by the pronoun this. "We brought back to thee." Silver that we might have retained, and to which you made no claim when we tendered it, we brought back. How or why should we therefore, steal silver? "Now also according to your words let it be." He adopts their terms with a mitigation. He with whom the cup is found shall become a slave for life, and the rest be acquitted. The steward searches from the oldest to the youngest. The cup is found where it was put.
13
Genesis 44:13
繁體中文
「他們就撕裂衣服」；這是無可挽救之悲痛的自然表記。「猶大前去。」他曾向父親擔保便雅憫的安全。而他仍在那裏，無疑在等待他所預料的結果。「他們就在他面前俯伏於地。」這不再是垂首或彎身，而是最深度自卑的姿態。那早年的夢何等深切地刺入了嚴酷的現實！「你們豈不知像我這樣的人必能占卜嗎？」約瑟再維持一會兒忿怒的姿態，要從猶大口中引出那類陳情中最為哀婉動人的一段。「神」——那偉大而獨一的神——「已經查出你僕人們的罪孽了」；這罪孽就是我們對兄弟那黑暗而背信的行徑。「看哪，我們都是我主的僕人。」他把自己並一切都交與永久的奴役，以此為公義的神對他們仍被記念之罪的判決。「他可以作我的奴僕，你們可以平平安安地上你們父親那裏去。」如今，試驗以最精細的調節被施行。如今正是約瑟痛苦懸望的時刻。他心裏說：我的兄弟們會顯出真誠嗎？我們則說：猶大能勝任這場合嗎？他向父親的懇求已是好兆頭。
第18-34節
「猶大挨近他。」他要把自己交出作終身的奴僕，好讓便雅憫得以與獲准離去的眾兄弟一同回家。「求容僕人進一句話給我主聽。」這裏除了恭謹而鎮定的態度之外，別無所有。「不要向僕人發烈怒。」他直覺地感到這位宰相是與自己同具情感的人。他要超越身份的懸隔，在共同人性的地基上與他相對而立。「因為你如同法老一樣。」你有權准許或拒絕我的請求。這構成演說的引言，隨後便是陳情。陳情只是簡單陳述事實，猶大預期這些事實對一顆正常的心自會發生本有的效果。除了解釋兩三個用語之外，我們不打算觸動這陳述。「童子」——相對年輕的少年。「容我把眼目放在他身上」——以恩惠與慈愛看待他。「他若離開父親，父親就必死。」這是這些話自然的解釋，因為父愛通常強於子愛。「現在求你容僕人住下，替這童子作我主的奴僕。」這就是猶大謙卑而懇切的請求。他沉著而堅定地犧牲了家、家族與長子名分，不願見年老的父親心碎而死。
- 約瑟與弟兄們相認
- גשׁן gôshen，歌珊，Gesem（阿拉伯語，或許與 גשׁם geshem「雨、陣雨」相關），位於埃及與阿拉伯交界、近蘇伊士灣的地區。
猶大的懇求對約瑟是無可抗拒的。眾兄弟的悔改與他們對便雅憫的眷愛，已以最令人滿意的方式得了證實。這正是約瑟所尋求的一切。整段敘述顯然表明，他從未有意在眾兄弟之上行使任何主權。他一得到眾兄弟心志正確的感人憑據，就不再隱藏自己。而猶大的演說——眾兄弟無疑也與之同心——使他的頭腦與心腸同受讚譽。
英文原文
"They rent their garments;" the natural token of a sorrow that knows no remedy. "And Judah went." He had pledged himself for the safety of Benjamin to his father. And he was yet there; awaiting no doubt the result which he anticipated. "They fell before him on the earth." It is no longer a bending of the head or bowing of the body, but the posture of deepest humiliation. How deeply that early dream penetrated into the stern reality! "Wot ye not that such a man as I doth certainly divine?" Joseph keeps up the show of resentment for a little longer, and brings out from Judah the most pathetic plea of its kind that ever was uttered. "The God," the great and only God, "hath found out the iniquity of thy servants;" in our dark and treacherous dealing with our brother. "Behold, we are servants to my lord." He resigns himself and all to perpetual bondage, as the doom of a just God upon their still-remembered crime. "He shall be my servant; and ye, go up in peace to your father." Now is the test applied with the nicest adjustment. Now is the moment of agony and suspense to Joseph. Will my brothers prove true? says he within himself. Will Judah prove adequate to the occasion? say we. His pleading with his father augured well.
Verse 18-34
"And Judah came near unto him." He is going to surrender himself as a slave for life, that Benjamin may go home with his brothers, who are permitted to depart. "Let thy servant now speak a word in the ears of my lord." There is nothing here but respectful calmness of demeanor. "And let not thine anger burn against thy servant." He intuitively feels that the grand vizier is a man of like feelings with himself. He will surmount the distinction of rank, and stand with him on the ground of a common humanity. "For so art thou as Pharaoh." Thou hast power to grant or withhold my request. This forms, the exordium of the speech. Then follows the plea. This consists in a simple statement of the facts, which Judah expects to have its native effect upon a rightly-constituted heart. We will not touch this statement, except to explain two or three expressions. A young lad - a comparative youth. "Let me set mine eyes upon him" - regard him with favor and kindness. "He shall leave his father and he shall die." If he were to leave his father, his father would die. Such is the natural interpretation of these words, as the paternal affection is generally stronger than the filial. "And now let thy servant now abide instead of the lad a servant to my lord." Such is the humble and earnest petition of Judah. He calmly and firmly sacrifices home, family, and birthright, rather than see an aged father die of a broken heart.
- Joseph Made Himself Known to His Brethren
- גשׁן gôshen, Goshen, Gesem (Arabias related perhaps to גשׁם geshem "rain, shower"), a region on the borders of Egypt and Arabia, near the gulf of Suez.
The appeal of Judah is to Joseph irresistible. The repentance of his brothers, and their attachment to Benjamin, have been demonstrated in the most satisfactory manner. This is all that Joseph sought. It is evident, throughout the whole narrative, that he never aimed at exercising any supremacy over his brothers. As soon as he has obtained an affecting proof of the right disposition of his brothers, he conceals himself no longer. And the speech of Judah, in which, no doubt, his brothers concurred, does equal credit to his head and heart.
還有我的杯。——除了照先前那樣把各人的銀子放回，又把約瑟的一隻銀杯放進便雅憫的口袋裡；天一亮，他們就被打發走了。他們剛出城，約瑟的管家就奉命追上他們，指控他們偷了那杯。「他必用它占卜。」由此可知，用杯占卜是埃及的普遍習俗（希羅多德 ii. 83）。此處提及這一點，是為了抬高那杯的價值。約瑟本人是否真的行過某種占卜，單憑這段經文無從斷定。