1
Ge 44:1-34.
英文原文
Ge 44:1-34.
POLICY TO STAY HIS BRETHREN.
1. And Joseph commanded the steward--The design of putting the cup into the sack of Benjamin was obviously to bring that young man into a situation of difficulty or danger, in order thereby to discover how far the brotherly feelings of the rest would be roused to sympathize with his distress and stimulate their exertions in procuring his deliverance. But for what purpose was the money restored? It was done, in the first instance, from kindly feelings to his father; but another and further design seems to have been the prevention of any injurious impressions as to the character of Benjamin. The discovery of the cup in his possession, if there had been nothing else to judge by, might have fastened a painful suspicion of guilt on the youngest brother; but the sight of the money in each man's sack would lead all to the same conclusion, that Benjamin was just as innocent as themselves, although the additional circumstance of the cup being found in his sack would bring him into greater trouble and danger.
2
無標題
2. 將我的銀杯，就是那銀杯，放在糧袋的口裏——原文顯示那是一個大高腳杯，因其昂貴的質料或精緻的做工而為主人所珍視，大概在前一天豐盛的宴席上，曾陳設在他的席上。
英文原文
2. put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth--It was a large goblet, as the original denotes, highly valued by its owner, on account of its costly material or its elegant finish and which had probably graced his table at the sumptuous entertainment of the previous day.
3
無標題
3. 天一亮，那些人就被打發走了——他們在黎明時分便起程回家（參
Ge 18:2
的註釋）；
不難想像，經過一切憂患焦慮之後，既得如此美滿的結局，他們定是精神振奮。
英文原文
3. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away--They commenced their homeward journey at early dawn (see on
Ge 18:2);
and it may be readily supposed in high spirits, after so happy an issue from all their troubles and anxieties.
4
無標題
4. 他們出城走了不遠……約瑟對家宰說——他們被一個突如其來的消息驟然攔住，說宰相遇失了一件貴重的物品。那是一個銀杯；對他們的嫌疑如此強烈，以致特地差了一個使者去搜查他們。
英文原文
4. When they were gone out of the city . . . Joseph said unto his steward--They were brought to a sudden halt by the stunning intelligence that an article of rare value was missing from the governor's house. It was a silver cup; so strong suspicions were entertained against them that a special messenger was despatched to search them.
5
無標題
5. 這不是我主人飲酒的杯嗎——不但供宰相個人使用，更是他用以占卜的。用杯占卜以測知未來的發展，是古埃及流行的迷信之一，至今仍是東方國家的迷信。約瑟既是一個敬虔信奉真神的人，大概不會沉迷於這迷信的習慣。但他可能利用了那流行的觀念，為要成功地執行他對弟兄們最後一次決定性試驗的計策。
英文原文
5. Is not this it in which my lord drinketh--not only kept for the governor's personal use, but whereby he divines. Divination by cups, to ascertain the course of futurity, was one of the prevalent superstitions of ancient Egypt, as it is of Eastern countries still. It is not likely that Joseph, a pious believer in the true God, would have addicted himself to this superstitious practice. But he might have availed himself of that popular notion to carry out the successful execution of his stratagem for the last decisive trial of his brethren.
6
無標題
6, 7. 他追上了他們，對他們說……這些話——家宰的話臨到他們，必如晴天霹靂，而他們最主要的感覺之一，必定是屢次被當作懷疑對象所帶來那羞辱而難堪的感受。他們極力辯白自己無辜，並邀請搜查。這挑戰被接受了
[Ge 44:10, 11]。
從最大的開始，每一個糧袋都被檢查，杯既在便雅憫的袋中被搜出來
[Ge 44:12]，
他們便以無法形容的心情痛苦地回到宰相的家
[Ge 44:13]，
俯伏在他腳前
[Ge 44:14]，
作出了那值得注意的認罪：「神已經查出僕人的罪孽了」
[Ge 44:16]。
英文原文
6, 7. he overtook them, and he spake . . . these words--The steward's words must have come upon them like a thunderbolt, and one of their most predominant feelings must have been the humiliating and galling sense of being made so often objects of suspicion. Protesting their innocence, they invited a search. The challenge was accepted
[Ge 44:10, 11].
Beginning with the eldest, every sack was examined, and the cup being found in Benjamin's
[Ge 44:12],
they all returned in an indescribable agony of mind to the house of the governor
[Ge 44:13],
throwing themselves at his feet
[Ge 44:14],
with the remarkable confession, "God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants"
[Ge 44:16].
16
無標題
16-34. 猶大說，我們對我主說甚麼呢？——這番話不需要註釋——起初是簡短而斷斷續續的句子，好像在說話者情感的壓倒性力量下，他的言辭被哽住，隨着他繼續說下去，因着說話的努力而變得更自由而流暢。每一個字都直入人心；不難想像，便雅憫像一個即將被獻在祭壇上的祭牲一樣無言地站在那裏，當他聽見猶大為了救他而甘願作奴隸的慷慨提議時，他必終生感激這位慷慨的哥哥，這紐帶似乎成了他支派中世襲的。約瑟的行為不可從任何單一的角度、或分開的部分來看，而要看作一個整體——一個深思熟慮、佈置周密、緊密相連的計劃；雖然其中某些特徵確實顯得嚴厲，但他行為的貫穿原則是真實的、真誠的兄弟之情。從這個角度來讀，這段經過的敘述描述了一個連續的、雖然是隱秘的目標追求；而約瑟在管理這計劃上，展現了極高的智力、一顆熱情而易感的心，加上一個對感情施展完全控制的判斷力——在設計達成目標的手段上有巧妙的發明，以及對審慎所要求之途徑的堅定持守，無論那途徑多麼痛苦。
英文原文
16-34. Judah said, What shall we say?--This address needs no comment--consisting at first of short, broken sentences, as if, under the overwhelming force of the speaker's emotions, his utterance were choked, it becomes more free and copious by the effort of speaking, as he proceeds. Every word finds its way to the heart; and it may well be imagined that Benjamin, who stood there speechless like a victim about to be laid on the altar, when he heard the magnanimous offer of Judah to submit to slavery for his ransom, would be bound by a lifelong gratitude to his generous brother, a tie that seems to have become hereditary in his tribe. Joseph's behavior must not be viewed from any single point, or in separate parts, but as a whole--a well-thought, deep-laid, closely connected plan; and though some features of it do certainly exhibit an appearance of harshness, yet the pervading principle of his conduct was real, genuine, brotherly kindness. Read in this light, the narrative of the proceedings describes the continuous, though secret, pursuit of one end; and Joseph exhibits, in his management of the scheme, a very high order of intellect, a warm and susceptible heart, united to a judgment that exerted a complete control over his feelings--a happy invention in devising means towards the attainment of his ends and an inflexible adherence to the course, however painful, which prudence required.
Ge 44:1-34.
挽留眾弟兄的計策。
1. 約瑟吩咐家宰——將杯放在便雅憫的糧袋裡，顯然是要使這少年陷入困境或危險，藉以察驗其餘人的弟兄之情會被激發到何等地步，與他的苦難表同情，並盡力設法營救他。但為何要將銀子歸還呢？這首先是出於對父親的好意；但另一個更進一步的用意，似乎是為要防止對便雅憫品格造成任何有害的印象。若單單在他處發現了杯，而沒有別的可作判斷的依據，便可能使這幼弟背上痛苦的罪嫌；但各人袋中銀子的出現，會使眾人得出同樣的結論：便雅憫與他們一樣無辜，雖然杯在他袋中被發現這一額外情節會使他陷入更大的麻煩和危險。