Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/132

 When Joseph  drew  near  to  his  brothers,  they  forthwith  stripped him of  his  coat  of  divers  colours,  and  cast  him  into  the  pit,  in which,  happily,  there  was  no  water. Then they  sat  down  to  eat bread, and  saw  some  foreign  merchants  passing  by,  with  camels, carrying spices,  balm  and  myrrh  into  Egypt. Juda then  said  to his  brothers:  “What  will  it  profit  us  to  kill  our  brother? It is better  that  he  be  sold,  and  that  our  hands  be  not  defiled,  for  he is  our  brother.”  The  others  agreed,  and,  the  merchants  having come up,  they  drew  Joseph  out  of  the  pit,  and  sold  him  for twenty pieces  of  silver. Joseph wept  and  besought  them  to  have pity upon  him,  but  in  vain. The merchants  took  him  away  with them into  Egypt.

Reuben, being  absent  at  the  moment,  knew  nothing  of  this wicked bargain. On going  to  the  pit  into  which  Joseph  had  been cast, and  not  finding  him  there,  he  rent  his  garments  in  despair, saying: “The  boy  doth  not  appear,  and  whither  shall  I go?” The other  brothers  remained  quite  unconcerned. Having killed  a kid,  they  dipped  Joseph’s  coat  in  it,  and  sent  it  to  their  father, saying: “This  we  have  found;  see,  if  it  be  thy  son’s  coat,  or  no.” The father,  knowing  the  coat,  said:  “It  is  my  son’s  coat;  a wild beast hath  devoured  Joseph.”  Then  he  rent  his  garments,  and putting on  sackcloth,  mourned  his  son  a long  time. His children gathered around  and  strove  to  soothe  his  grief,  but  he  would not be  comforted,  saying:  “I  will  go  down  to  my  son  into  the grave, mourning.”