We jump into the story already in progress. Jacob's sons have just returned from Egypt, where they went to buy grain. Remember, there was a famine in the land. But things didn't go smoothly. The "lord of the country," none other than their own brother Joseph in disguise (though they don't know it yet!), has accused them of being spies. He's been… well, a bit of a jerk. And to top it all off, he's holding Simeon hostage until they bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, back with them.
The Book of Jubilees, a text considered canonical by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and valued by many others for its insights into ancient Jewish thought, gives us a glimpse into Jacob's anguished reaction. It's a raw, emotional outburst.
"Me have ye bereaved of my children!" Jacob cries. "Joseph is not, and Simeon also is not, and ye will take Benjamin away. On me hath your wickedness come."
You can almost hear the desperation in his voice, can't you? The loss of Joseph years ago, the current predicament with Simeon, and now this demand for Benjamin. It's almost too much for one person to bear. He sees it all as a direct result of his sons' "wickedness." Remember, they were the ones who sold Joseph into slavery in the first place. Jacob is understandably devastated.
But it's his next words that really tug at the heartstrings: "My son will not go down with you lest perchance he fall sick; for their mother gave birth to two sons, and one hath perished, and this one also ye will take from me. If perchance he took a fever on the road, ye would bring down my old age with sorrow unto death."
He's talking about Benjamin. You see, Benjamin and Joseph were the only two sons of Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife who died giving birth to Benjamin. Losing Joseph was a deep wound, and the thought of losing Benjamin, the last connection to Rachel, is unbearable. He imagines all sorts of dangers – sickness, accidents – and the crushing grief that would surely follow.
He pictures himself, an old man already burdened with sorrow, being brought down to his grave by the loss of his youngest son. The phrase "bring down my old age with sorrow unto death" is a powerful one. It speaks to the depth of his despair.
Jacob's words are a reminder that even the great figures of the Bible, the patriarchs and matriarchs, were still human. They experienced the same joys and sorrows, the same fears and anxieties, as we do. They loved their children fiercely and grieved deeply at their loss. We often think of them as larger-than-life figures, but in moments like these, we see their vulnerability, their humanity. And perhaps that's what makes their stories so enduring and relatable.