Joseph knew them at once. They were his ten brothers—those brothers whom he had last seen when, as a helpless boy, he had knelt and begged them for mercy. Now they came kneeling to the great ruler, little dreaming that this powerful prince was the young brother they had betrayed and sold into slavery.
And Joseph did not mean to tell them just yet. He pretended to take them for spies, and he spoke roughly to them.
"Thy servants are no spies," the brothers answered humbly. "We are the sons of one man, in the land of Canaan, and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not."
Even then Joseph pretended that he did not believe them. No, they must first prove their words by bringing their youngest brother to him. They might leave one of their number behind as a hostage, and take corn for their families, and return to fetch their brother. This he said because he longed to see Benjamin again.
The men listened sadly to what the great man said. They must have the corn or their families would starve. And yet how could they leave one of their brothers behind when they knew their father would never allow Benjamin to return with them.
"This is just what we deserve," they said to one another. "We would not listen to Joseph when he begged for mercy, and now this is our punishment."
"Did I not beg you not to hurt the child?" said Reuben.
They did not know, of course, that the great ruler could understand what they were saying in their own language; but as Joseph listened he was obliged to turn away to hide the tears that were in his eyes.
Lord and ruler over all the land of Egypt.