To recap, the brothers have already journeyed to Egypt to buy food during a brutal famine, encountering the powerful and mysterious Egyptian viceroy– who is secretly their long-lost brother, Joseph. Joseph, after some theatrics and accusations, has now demanded they bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, back to Egypt as proof of their honesty. But getting Jacob to agree? That’s the challenge.
When the brothers return home, they find that the money they paid for the grain has mysteriously reappeared in their sacks, terrifying them and Jacob. "What is this that you have done to me?" Jacob cries. According to the Book of Jasher, Jacob laments the potential loss of Benjamin, fearing he'll suffer the same fate as Joseph. He exclaims that he sent Joseph to inquire after their welfare, only to be told he was devoured by a wild beast. Now Simeon is held prisoner, and they want to take Benjamin as well? Jacob is understandably distraught.
Reuben, ever impetuous, offers a drastic guarantee: "Thou shalt slay my two sons if I do not bring thy son and place him before thee!" But Jacob isn't buying it. "Abide ye here," he says, refusing to risk another son. Judah urges them to wait until the famine worsens, knowing hunger will eventually force Jacob's hand.
And worsen it does. The famine grips the land. People are flocking to Egypt for food. Back in Canaan, the children of Jacob's sons are starving, surrounding their grandfather and begging for bread. Jacob, seeing their suffering, is moved to action. "Return and buy for us a little food," he tells his sons.
But Judah lays down the law. "If thou wilt send our brother with us we will go down and buy corn for thee, and if thou wilt not send him then we will not go down." He reminds Jacob of the viceroy's stern warning: no Benjamin, no audience. He then proceeds to lavish praise on the Egyptian ruler. According to Judah, no one compares to this king: not even Abimelech, the Philistine king.
He describes the viceroy's palace, his throne, his wisdom, his understanding, and knowledge. He even recalls the ruler asking about their father, Jacob. Judah explains that the brothers threatened to do to Egypt what was done to the cities of the Amorites. He insists that they bring Benjamin or face death. He pleads, "Send, we pray thee, the lad with us, and we will go down and buy thee food for our support, and not die through hunger."
Jacob, still resistant, asks, "Why have you dealt so ill with me to tell the king you had a brother?"
Judah then makes a powerful pledge, offering himself as collateral. "Give the lad into my care and we will rise up and go down to Egypt and buy corn, and then return, and it shall be when we return if the lad be not with us, then let me bear thy blame forever." He reminds Jacob of the weeping children and asks him to have pity.
He invokes the Lord's kindness to their ancestors and insists that he will not leave Benjamin until he brings him back. "Pray for us unto the Lord," he urges, "that he may deal kindly with us, to cause us to be received favorably and kindly before the king of Egypt and his men."
Finally, Jacob relents, placing his trust in God. He instructs his sons to prepare a gift, "a present from what can be obtained in the land," and to take a double portion of silver. He prays that the Almighty will grant them mercy and send Benjamin and Simeon back safely. According to the Book of Jasher, Jacob commands his sons concerning Benjamin, saying, "Take heed of him in the way in which you are going, and do not separate yourselves from him in the road, neither in Egypt."
Then, in a moving scene, Jacob prays to the Lord, invoking the covenant with Abraham and Isaac, pleading for his sons' safety. "O Lord God of heaven and earth, remember thy covenant with our father Abraham… and deliver them not into the hands of the king of Egypt." The wives and children of Jacob's sons join in, weeping and crying out to God.
Jacob even writes a letter to the king of Egypt, entrusting it to Judah. He describes the famine, his old age, and his failing eyesight. He mentions his lost son, Joseph, and explains why he instructed his sons not to enter the city gates. He reminds the king of Egypt that he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams. Jacob tells the king to protect Benjamin and reminds him of what God did to Pharaoh when he took his mother Sarah, and what Abraham did to the nine kings of Elam. Jacob makes it known that Simeon and Levi destroyed the cities of the Amorites on account of their sister Dinah, implying that the brothers will do anything for Benjamin.
"Dost thou not know, O king of Egypt, that the power of God is with us?" Jacob writes, asserting his faith. He explains that he has refrained from praying against the king of Egypt, hoping for kindness towards Simeon. He concludes by entrusting Benjamin to the king's care. "Examine the face of the whole earth for their sake and send them back in peace with their brethren."
With the letter in hand, and with Benjamin in tow, the brothers finally set off again for Egypt. It's a journey fraught with peril, not just from the powerful Egyptian ruler, but also from the gnawing uncertainty in their hearts. Will Jacob ever see all his sons together again?
This chapter from the Book of Jasher is a powerful reminder of the lengths we go to for family. Jacob, faced with the impossible choice of risking another son or watching his family starve, ultimately chooses to trust in God and send Benjamin into the unknown. It's a testament to the enduring power of hope, even in the darkest of times. What would you do in Jacob's situation? What lengths would you go to protect your family?