創世記43:1-34

43:1 那地的饑荒甚大。

43:2 他們從埃及帶來的糧食吃盡了，他們的父親就對他們說：「你們再去給我糴些糧來。」

43:3 猶大對他說：「那人諄諄地告誡我們說：『你們的兄弟若不與你們同來，你們就不得見我的面。』

43:4 你若打發我們的兄弟與我們同去，我們就下去給你糴糧；

43:5 你若不打發他去，我們就不下去，因為那人對我們說：『你們的兄弟若不與你們同來，你們就不得見我的面。』」

43:6 以色列說：「你們為甚麼這樣害我，告訴那人你們還有兄弟呢？」

43:7 他們回答說：「那人詳細問到我們和我們的親屬，說：『你們的父親還在嗎？你們還有兄弟嗎？』我們就按著他所問的告訴他，焉能知道他要說『必須把你們的兄弟帶下來』呢？」

43:8 猶大又對他父親以色列說：「你打發童子與我同去，我們就起身下去，好叫我們和你，並我們的婦人孩子，都得存活，不至於死。

43:9 我為他作保；你可以從我手中追討，我若不帶他回來交在你面前，我情願永遠擔罪。

43:10 我們若沒有耽擱，如今第二次都回來了。」

43:11 他們的父親以色列說：「若必須如此，你們就當這樣行：可以將這地土產中最好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、沒藥、榧子、杏仁都取一點，收在器具裡，帶下去送給那人作禮物，

43:12 又要手裡加倍地帶銀子，並將歸還在你們口袋內的銀子仍帶在手裡；那或者是錯了。

43:13 也帶著你們的兄弟，起身去見那人。

43:14 但願全能的上帝使你們在那人面前蒙憐憫，釋放你們的那弟兄和便雅憫回來。我若喪了兒子，就喪了吧！」

43:15 於是，他們拿著那禮物，又手裡加倍地帶銀子，並且帶著便雅憫，起身下到埃及，站在約瑟面前。

43:16 約瑟見便雅憫和他們同來，就對家宰說：「將這些人領到屋裡。要宰殺牲畜，預備筵席，因為晌午這些人同我吃飯。」

43:17 家宰就遵著約瑟的命去行，領他們進約瑟的屋裡。

43:18 他們因為被領到約瑟的屋裡，就害怕，說：「領我們到這裡來，必是因為頭次歸還在我們口袋裡的銀子，找我們的錯縫，下手害我們，強取我們為奴僕，搶奪我們的驢。」

43:19 他們就挨近約瑟的家宰，在屋門口和他說話，

43:20 說：「我主啊，我們頭次下來實在是要糴糧。

43:21 後來到了住宿的地方，我們打開口袋，不料，各人的銀子，分量足數，仍在各人的口袋內，現在我們手裡又帶回來了。

43:22 另外又帶下銀子來糴糧。不知道先前誰把銀子放在我們的口袋裡。」

43:23 家宰說：「你們可以放心，不要害怕，是你們的上帝和你們父親的上帝賜給你們財寶在你們的口袋裡；你們的銀子，我早已收了。」他就把西緬帶出來，交給他們。

43:24 家宰就領他們進約瑟的屋裡，給他們水洗腳，又給他們草料餵驢。

43:25 他們就預備那禮物，等候約瑟晌午來，因為他們聽見要在那裡吃飯。

43:26 約瑟來到家裡，他們就把手中的禮物拿進屋去給他，又俯伏在地，向他下拜。

43:27 約瑟問他們好，又問：「你們的父親─就是你們所說的那老人家平安嗎？他還在嗎？」

43:28 他們回答說：「你僕人─我們的父親平安；他還在。」於是他們低頭下拜。

43:29 約瑟舉目看見他同母的兄弟便雅憫，就說：「你們向我所說那頂小的兄弟就是這位嗎？」又說：「小兒啊，願上帝賜恩給你！」

43:30 約瑟愛弟之情發動，就急忙尋找可哭之地，進入自己的屋裡，哭了一場。

43:31 他洗了臉出來，勉強隱忍，吩咐人擺飯。

43:32 他們就為約瑟單擺了一席，為那些人又擺了一席，也為和約瑟同吃飯的埃及人另擺了一席，因為埃及人不可和希伯來人一同吃飯；那原是埃及人所厭惡的。

43:33 約瑟使眾弟兄在他面前排列坐席，都按著長幼的次序，眾弟兄就彼此詫異。

43:34 約瑟把他面前的食物分出來，送給他們；但便雅憫所得的比別人多五倍。他們就飲酒，和約瑟一同宴樂。

Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

3 But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

6 Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?”

7 They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”

8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 10 As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. 14 And may God Almighty[a] grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”

17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. 18 Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

19 So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food. 21 But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. 22 We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.

26 When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. 27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?”

28 They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.

29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.

31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.”

32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

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    約瑟的巧計成就了，為了糧食的需要，哥哥們非得將便雅憫帶去。

箴言26:3

鞭子是為打馬，轡頭是為勒驢；刑杖是為打愚昧人的背。

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

    and a rod for the backs of fools!

***********

    人和動物或畜生不一樣的地方是人會思考與自覺，但是動物或畜生是不會的！就像馬和驢需要邊子和轡頭，作為動力和指引。可是「愚昧人」，不知敬畏耶和華上帝，就像畜生一般，需要刑杖來作動力與指引。

    敬畏耶和華的人，就是受聖靈引導的人，心中會有指引與動力，就不需要靠刑杖來完成。不僅如此，詩篇16篇11節還說：「你必將生命的道路指示我。在你面前有滿足的喜樂；在你右手中有永遠的福樂。」

    所以，敬畏上帝的人，必定會得著「滿足的喜樂」和「永遠的福樂」！也惟有上帝可以讓我們活出人該有的尊嚴，在聖靈的引導下，心中喜樂與滿足，型在恩典與蒙福的路上！

創世記42章

                  創世記42:1-38     ,

創世記42:1-38

42:1 雅各見埃及有糧，就對兒子們說：「你們為甚麼彼此觀望呢？
42:2 我聽見埃及有糧，你們可以下去，從那裡為我們糴些來，使我們可以存活，不至於死。」
42:3 於是，約瑟的十個哥哥都下埃及糴糧去了。
42:4 但約瑟的兄弟便雅憫，雅各沒有打發他和哥哥們同去，因為雅各說：「恐怕他遭害。」
42:5 來糴糧的人中有以色列的兒子們，因為迦南地也有饑荒。
42:6 當時治理埃及地的是約瑟；糶糧給那地眾民的就是他。約瑟的哥哥們來了，臉伏於地，向他下拜。
42:7 約瑟看見他哥哥們，就認得他們，卻裝作生人，向他們說些嚴厲話，問他們說：「你們從哪裡來？」他們說：「我們從迦南地來糴糧。」
42:8 約瑟認得他哥哥們，他們卻不認得他。
42:9 約瑟想起從前所做的那兩個夢，就對他們說：「你們是奸細，來窺探這地的虛實。」
42:10 他們對他說：「我主啊，不是的。僕人們是糴糧來的。
42:11 我們都是一個人的兒子，是誠實人；僕人們並不是奸細。」
42:12 約瑟說：「不然，你們必是窺探這地的虛實來的。」
42:13 他們說：「僕人們本是弟兄十二人，是迦南地一個人的兒子，頂小的現今在我們的父親那裡，有一個沒有了。」
42:14 約瑟說：「我才說你們是奸細，這話實在不錯。
42:15 我指著法老的性命起誓，若是你們的小兄弟不到這裡來，你們就不得出這地方，從此就可以把你們證驗出來了。
42:16 須要打發你們中間一個人去，把你們的兄弟帶來。至於你們，都要囚在這裡，好證驗你們的話真不真，若不真，我指著法老的性命起誓，你們一定是奸細。」
42:17 於是約瑟把他們都下在監裡三天。
42:18 到第三天，約瑟對他們說：「我是敬畏上帝的；你們照我的話行就可以存活。
42:19 你們如果是誠實人，可以留你們中間的一個人囚在監裡，但你們可以帶著糧食回去，救你們家裡的饑荒。
42:20 把你們的小兄弟帶到我這裡來，如此，你們的話便有證據，你們也不至於死。」他們就照樣而行。
42:21 他們彼此說：「我們在兄弟身上實在有罪。他哀求我們的時候，我們見他心裡的愁苦，卻不肯聽，所以這場苦難臨到我們身上。」
42:22 流便說：「我豈不是對你們說過，不可傷害那孩子嗎？只是你們不肯聽，所以流他血的罪向我們追討。」
42:23 他們不知道約瑟聽得出來，因為在他們中間用通事傳話。
42:24 約瑟轉身退去，哭了一場，又回來對他們說話，就從他們中間挑出西緬來，在他們眼前把他捆綁。
42:25 約瑟吩咐人把糧食裝滿他們的器具，把各人的銀子歸還在各人的口袋裡，又給他們路上用的食物，人就照他的話辦了。
42:26 他們就把糧食馱在驢上，離開那裡去了。
42:27 到了住宿的地方，他們中間有一個人打開口袋，要拿料餵驢，才看見自己的銀子仍在口袋裡，
42:28 就對弟兄們說：「我的銀子歸還了，看哪，仍在我口袋裡！」他們就提心吊膽，戰戰兢兢地彼此說：「這是上帝向我們做甚麼呢？」
42:29 他們來到迦南地、他們的父親雅各那裡，將所遭遇的事都告訴他，說：
42:30 「那地的主對我們說嚴厲的話，把我們當作窺探那地的奸細。
42:31 我們對他說：『我們是誠實人，並不是奸細。
42:32 我們本是弟兄十二人，都是一個父親的兒子，有一個沒有了，頂小的如今同我們的父親在迦南地。』
42:33 那地的主對我們說：『若要我知道你們是誠實人，可以留下你們中間的一個人在我這裡，你們可以帶著糧食回去，救你們家裡的饑荒。
42:34 把你們的小兄弟帶到我這裡來，我便知道你們不是奸細，乃是誠實人。這樣，我就把你們的弟兄交給你們，你們也可以在這地做買賣。』」
42:35 後來他們倒口袋，不料，各人的銀包都在口袋裡；他們和父親看見銀包就都害怕。
42:36 他們的父親雅各對他們說：「你們使我喪失我的兒子：「約瑟沒有了，西緬也沒有了，你們又要將便雅憫帶去；這些事都歸到我身上了。」
42:37 流便對他父親說：「我若不帶他回來交給你，你可以殺我的兩個兒子。只管把他交在我手裡，我必帶他回來交給你。」
42:38 雅各說：「我的兒子不可與你們一同下去；他哥哥死了，只剩下他，他若在你們所行的路上遭害，那便是你們使我白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘地下陰間去了。」

When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” ² He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

³ Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. ⁴ But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. ⁵ So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also.
⁶ Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. ⁷ As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”
⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. ⁹ Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”
¹⁰ “No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food. ¹¹ We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”
¹² “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”
¹³ But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”
¹⁴ Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies! ¹⁵ And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. ¹⁶ Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” ¹⁷ And he put them all in custody for three days.
¹⁸ On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: ¹⁹ If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. ²⁰ But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.
²¹ They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”
²² Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” ²³ They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.
²⁴ He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.
²⁵ Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, ²⁶ they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.
²⁷ At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. ²⁸ “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”
Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”
²⁹ When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. They said, ³⁰ “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as though we were spying on the land. ³¹ But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. ³² We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’
³³ “Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go. ³⁴ But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade^[a] in the land.’”
³⁵ As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened. ³⁶ Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”
³⁷ Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.”
³⁸ But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.”

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    約瑟的夢境真的實現了，就是他的哥哥們為了糧食來向他下拜。然而在這樣的狀況可以說是恩怨交加，對約瑟而言是一個需要用智慧處理的狀況，既要為自己討回公道，又不可以傷害自己得手足！

    基督徒在處理教會的事情也是如此，惡的人需要懲治，但是又不能失去基督對人的慈愛與拯救！人常常喜歡用權柄懲治人，卻忘記自己也是罪人，蒙上帝的拯救！所以，我們要以馬丁路德說的「蒙恩的罪人」之角度來對自己和別人，不要自以為義！

    面對社會上許多有罪和軟弱的人，我們要像耶穌基督一樣來愛護他們，成為他們的朋友，不是他們的敵人！也因為這樣，法利賽人無法接納耶穌基督，反而與基督為敵！今天教會也有一股充滿自義的勢力，使得教會無法轉化世界被罪惡轄制的人卻不自知。更可怕的是，不聽勸以為自己沒有問題！求主的聖靈快快讓教會看清楚自己的危機，讓教會能更新與改變，可以像基督一樣愛人恨惡罪惡！

箴言26:2

麻雀往來，燕子翻飛；這樣，無故的咒詛也必不臨到。

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

***********

許多時候我們很容易受到人的話語得攪擾，因為我們怕得罪人，不受人的注意，就是一心想討人的喜歡！之所以會如此，完全是罪性造成的，因為我們得罪了上帝之後，心中有一份虛空和疏離感，希望從別人那裡得著些什麼，不管是財物或是尊重都好！

也因為這樣，就希望被人稱讚與肯定，卻不願意被責罵或咒詛。也因為這樣，喜歡控制人的人，就抓住人性這樣的弱點。有求於人的時候，就說盡好話，好得人幫助；不喜歡人的時候，就咒詛與責罵，好就人害怕並且就範！

我們屬主的人，明白人生的目地是討上帝喜歡，不是討人的喜歡，我們就可以不吃這一套，也就不理會別人無裡的咒詛，就會認清這句箴言的意義，的確，「正如麻雀掠過，燕子飛過，無故的詛咒也不會臨到。」