# 57 - Joseph: The Wounded - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, Joseph grapples with betrayal and trust as he tests his brothers' hearts through a powerful scheme. Explore this poignant chapter of Genesis, where scars of the past collide with the hope of reconciliation and redemption.
Episode 57 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Psalm 6:2, “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.”
Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app.
Show Notes:
(01:53) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(02:55) Joseph: The Wounded
(24:09) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people.
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Speaker 2: My judgment delivered this land from famine, and my judgment
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Speaker 2: tells me you are spies. Prove to me I'm wrong.
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Speaker 2: You will be bound and imprisoned in this place while
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Speaker 2: one of you leaves to retrieve the youngest brother. If
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Speaker 2: he is real, then I shall know you do not lie.
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Speaker 3: Send Benjamin with me, father, we can't afford to wait
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Speaker 3: any longer without grain.
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Speaker 2: You expect me to trust you.
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Speaker 4: Twenty seven years ago I sent my son to you.
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Speaker 5: Go to your brothers, I said to him, I sent
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Speaker 5: him into your hands, and you bring me back a
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Speaker 5: tattered coat covered in blood.
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Speaker 4: If Benjamin doesn't return with you, I will surely die
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Speaker 4: of grief. That dear son will be on your hands.
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Speaker 2: You must be Benjamin, God be gracious to you, my son.
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Speaker 1: They smiled at Benjamin and laughed with one another. Although
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Speaker 1: Benjamin held the favor and love of his father Jacob,
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Speaker 1: the ten other brothers did not seem to care. They
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Speaker 1: loved their baby brother and reveled in his success. Their
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Speaker 1: camaraderie made Joseph sick to his stomach.
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Speaker 2: They haven't changed, It's all a show. They couldn't care
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Speaker 2: less for Benjamin, they didn't for me.
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Speaker 1: They seemed to truly love each other. They're chuckling and dancing.
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Speaker 1: Vexed Joseph. He couldn't accept that they could abandon him
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Speaker 1: to die in a foreign country and then live on
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Speaker 1: in happiness as if nothing had ever happened. Joseph clenched
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Speaker 1: his fists and snarled, Tomorrow, I will know.
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Speaker 2: The truth.
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Speaker 6: Beneath the layers of deception. The truth waits to be unveiled. Sello,
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Speaker 6: my friends, from here in the Holy Land, amya el
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Speaker 6: extein with international Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Welcome to
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Speaker 6: the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a dramatic story
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Speaker 6: inspired by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons of faith, love,
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Speaker 6: and the meaning of life. Have you ever experienced betrayal
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Speaker 6: so deep that it seemed to scar your very soul?
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Speaker 6: Today's Bible stories etched with such agony and redemption. Genesis
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Speaker 6: forty four unfolds as a drama of trust and treachery
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Speaker 6: that resonates through the ages. Can forgiveness men to the
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Speaker 6: deepest wounds? Or do some betrayals cut too deep to
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Speaker 6: ever heal? Is there a place for mercy and the
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Speaker 6: shadows of deceit, and how do we reconcile with those
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Speaker 6: who have wronged us so profoundly?
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Speaker 1: Hatred, dark, deep and powerful. Hatred prowled like a lion,
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Speaker 1: waiting to devour Joseph's heart. The palace walls seemed to
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Speaker 1: close in as he watched his brother's feast and his home,
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Speaker 1: their laughter echoing mockingly. They danced and swayed to the music,
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Speaker 1: with cups of wine in their hands. Oblivious to the
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Speaker 1: storm brewing within him. Joseph teetered between rage and joy,
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Speaker 1: his heart torn by conflicting desires. He yearned for the
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Speaker 1: connection he had once lost, to be part of a
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Speaker 1: family again, Yet the scars of betrayal ran deep, and
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Speaker 1: trust was a fragile thing, shattered too easily. His eyes
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Speaker 1: fixed on Benjamin, the favored son. They laughed with him,
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Speaker 1: showed him the brotherly affection Joseph had been denied. Each smile,
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Speaker 1: each jest, cut Joseph like a dagger, reminding him of
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Speaker 1: the years stolen from him. Slumped back in his throne,
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Speaker 1: fingers gripping the armrest with a white knuck with intensity,
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Speaker 1: as he wrestled with his own flesh and spirit The
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Speaker 1: brothers reveled in Joseph's house for hours, the wine loosening
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Speaker 1: their tongues and dulling their fears. Joseph forced a smile
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Speaker 1: and clapped his hands together, his voice ringing out over
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Speaker 1: the revelry.
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Speaker 2: My friends, I am pleased you've enjoyed our hospitality. Please
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Speaker 2: stay the night here so you may rest. I am
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Speaker 2: sure your journey will be long and arduous.
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Speaker 3: You are too kind to us, Sapanathpinia. We had never
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Speaker 3: expected such kindness to come from you, especially after the
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Speaker 3: last time we were here. Our father will be pleased
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Speaker 3: that Benjamin was treated so well.
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Speaker 1: Joseph's smile faltered at Judah's words. Was this affection genuine
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Speaker 1: or just another lie? They had once despised him for
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Speaker 1: being the favorite? Could they tru have changed? He studied
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Speaker 1: their faces, noting the lines etched by time and hardship.
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Speaker 1: They appeared different, yet the pain they had cause still lingered.
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Speaker 2: Your father is a blessed man to have so many sons.
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Speaker 2: You said that one of them was taken from you.
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Speaker 3: Correct, Yes, my lord, we have a younger brother before Benjamin.
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Speaker 3: Uh he is no more. Wild animals devoured him in.
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Speaker 1: The wilderness Joseph's heart twisted at the lie, his eyes
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Speaker 1: narrowing as he scrutinized their expressions. Their faces, once filled
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Speaker 1: with youthful arrogance, now bore the ways of regret and sorrow.
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Speaker 2: That is unfortunate.
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Speaker 1: He placed his hands behind his back and stepped towards them.
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Speaker 1: He paced around them, scanning them up and down.
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Speaker 2: I was wrong about you before. You're not spies, your
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Speaker 2: well meaning brother who seek to take care of their families.
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Speaker 2: It was foolish of me to think otherwise. It is
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Speaker 2: obvious to me that you are men who fear God,
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Speaker 2: who would never deal with anyone dishonestly. Yes, Ah, men
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Speaker 2: of integrity, pillars of honor. Each of you are. Your
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Speaker 2: father must be so proud to have sons of such character.
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Speaker 1: None of the brothers met his gaze. Shame weighed heavily
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Speaker 1: upon them, their guilt palpable in the air, Joseph continued
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Speaker 1: to circle them, a predator assessing his prey.
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Speaker 2: Benjamin, you're a blessed young man. Not all brothers would
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Speaker 2: take so kindly to the youngest, being the favorite.
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Speaker 7: I do consider myself blessed Lord. They're excellent brothers to me,
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Speaker 7: and sons to my father. I wish he was here
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Speaker 7: to enjoy this feast with us.
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Speaker 2: Yes, a pity he isn't here. Well, it was a
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Speaker 2: joy to host you. I'm sure your father is eager
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Speaker 2: to see you again. Rest here tonight and departed firsting
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Speaker 2: in the morning.
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Speaker 1: With those words, Joseph turned and left his heart a
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Speaker 1: maelstrom of emotions. The brothers were escorted to a private
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Speaker 1: villa outside his home, where they were treated to warm
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Speaker 1: baths and linen blankets. They slept content and unaware, while
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Speaker 1: Joseph remained awake, haunted by the ghosts of his past.
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Speaker 1: He spent the night outside his room, gazing up at
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Speaker 1: the stars that stretched infinitely across the heavens. The torches
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Speaker 1: below mimicked the celestial lights, casting a soft glow over
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Speaker 1: the city. A gentle breeze, cool and soothing, caressed his face.
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Speaker 1: Joseph leaned against the balcony, gripping it tightly, as a
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Speaker 1: small stream of tears traced down his cheeks. His dreams,
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Speaker 1: the stars and sheaves of grain bowing to him had
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Speaker 1: led him to this moment. But what was the purpose,
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Speaker 1: What was God's plan? He hate his brothers for their betrayal,
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Speaker 1: yet he knew that without their actions, he would not
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Speaker 1: be where he was. God had used his suffering for good,
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Speaker 1: elevating him to power and prosperity. But could he trust
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Speaker 1: his brothers now? Could they coexist with him as their ruler?
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Speaker 1: He hated his brothers for what they did to him,
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Speaker 1: but he also knew that God had orchestrated it all
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Speaker 1: for good. Joseph sat in a place of power, influence,
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Speaker 1: and riches because of the sins his brothers committed. He
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Speaker 1: had them to blame for his suffering, but God had
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Speaker 1: used it for good.
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Speaker 2: What would you have me do with them? They are yours,
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Speaker 2: save a judge, not mine.
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Speaker 1: As he wrestled with these thoughts, a warm hand touched
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Speaker 1: his arm as an arth. His wife wrapped her arms
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Speaker 1: around him, offering silent comfort. She knew his heart, the
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Speaker 1: turmoil that churned within.
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Speaker 8: What are you going to do with them?
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Speaker 2: I can't simply them leave. The family will be deadly
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Speaker 2: for more years to come. They won't survive on their own.
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Speaker 2: They need me.
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Speaker 8: Ah, Yes, they need your help. But the question you're
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Speaker 8: asking is do they deserve your help?
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Speaker 2: Yes? And have they changed enough to be trusted?
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Speaker 8: You've certainly changed over time. Perhaps they have too.
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Speaker 2: I was forced to change. I had to adapt or die.
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Speaker 8: And who is to say what they've endured since you
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Speaker 8: saw them last.
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Speaker 2: They haven't been tested like I have.
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Speaker 8: Then maybe a test of their own is required.
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Speaker 1: Maybe Joseph's voice trailed off the wind, carrying it away
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Speaker 1: as an Arth held him tighter, her warmth a bomb
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Speaker 1: to his wounded heart.
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Speaker 8: You have endured more than anyone else. I know you've
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Speaker 8: been betrayed, forgotten, and cast aside, but there would be
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Speaker 8: no redemption of the land without your hardship. Whatever you decide,
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Speaker 8: I know your choice will flow from the heart of
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Speaker 8: your God.
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Speaker 1: Joseph nodded, holding his wife close. They stood together, watching
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Speaker 1: the stars until as an Arth returned to bed. Joseph
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Speaker 1: remained his eyes fixed on the heavens. The chill of
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Speaker 1: the night reminded him of the damp prison cells, the
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Speaker 1: jagged stones he had once slept on. Every cruelty, every
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Speaker 1: hardship had been redeemed by God turned into a tapestry
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Speaker 1: of grace and purpose. Could the same be true for
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Speaker 1: his brothers.
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Speaker 2: Perhaps they must go through a test of their own.
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Speaker 1: It was at that moment Joseph had an idea. An
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Speaker 1: idea began to form in his mind, a way to
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Speaker 1: test their hearts and reveal their true nature. He smirked,
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Speaker 1: a plan taking shape. Without wasting another moment, he hurried
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Speaker 1: to wake Ned, bursting into his chambers with a torch.
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Speaker 2: Wake up.
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Speaker 1: Ned jolted awake and reached for his dagger. He was
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Speaker 1: surprised to see Joseph standing at the foot of his bed.
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Speaker 1: H what what is.
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Speaker 3: It, my lord?
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Speaker 7: It is somewhat in danger.
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Speaker 2: There is much to be done before the sun rises.
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Speaker 7: Ah setter, what is happening?
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Speaker 2: A test? Dear Net? They need a test?
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Speaker 7: Who are you going to test?
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Speaker 1: My lord?
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Speaker 2: My bruh. The Hebrews. They've kept their words so far,
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Speaker 2: but I need to be certain that they aren't spies. Now, quick,
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Speaker 2: grab my cup and meet me at the storehouses.
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Speaker 1: Ned rubbed his eyes. Crawling out of bed, he stumbled
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Speaker 1: through the dark halls of Joseph's estate, guided by the
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Speaker 1: cool ivory pillars. He grabbed Joseph's silver cup, wrapped it
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Speaker 1: in burlap, and made his way to the storehouses. The
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Speaker 1: seven structures towered over the hills like giant guardians. Dawn
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Speaker 1: was approaching, the stars fading into the cold morning sky.
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Speaker 1: Ned saw a small torchlight near the storehouse, where Joseph waited.
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Speaker 2: Do you have the cup?
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Speaker 7: Yes, right here?
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Speaker 2: What is the meaning of this? I have an important
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Speaker 2: task for you. I need you to prepare the hebrew
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Speaker 2: bags of grain as you did before, give them a
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Speaker 2: double portion, and give them their money back as well.
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Speaker 1: Ned nodded, confusion evident on his face. Joseph cracked a
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Speaker 1: small smile.
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Speaker 2: I need you to make sure my cup is put
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Speaker 2: in the bags of grain. The bag with the cup
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Speaker 2: must go to the youngest brother. Do you understand as
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Speaker 2: you command, my lord?
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Speaker 1: Joseph patted him on the shoulder and left, hurrying back
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Speaker 1: to his estate. The sun began to peek over the hills,
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Speaker 1: painting the land with splashes of bright orange. The cold
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Speaker 1: bite of the night quickly dissipated, replaced by the approaching
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Speaker 1: heat of the day. Joseph returned home, greeted by the
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Speaker 1: laughter of his children, Manassah and Ephraim lifted them into
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Speaker 1: his arms, enjoying a morning meal with his family, yet
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Speaker 1: his mind remained on the task at hand. The eleven
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Speaker 1: brothers emerged, their donkeys packed and belongings strapped over their shoulders.
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Speaker 1: They bowed deeply to Zaphnath Pania.
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Speaker 2: Your kindness will be remembered by our family for generations.
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Speaker 2: We pray we never have to return here, and that
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Speaker 2: the famine will be over shortly.
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Speaker 1: Joseph winced. He knew there would be many more years
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Speaker 1: before the land was restored. He knew the family of
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Speaker 1: Jacob would not last there in Canaan. Joseph said nothing,
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Speaker 1: He only nodded his head and dismissed them. He then
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Speaker 1: gestured to Ned, who was standing at attention at the
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Speaker 1: entrance of the courtyard. Ned nodded and brought in eleven
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Speaker 1: bags of grain, one by one, from oldest to youngest.
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Speaker 1: He placed each bag in front of the brothers. Each
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Speaker 1: brother took their own sack of grain and secured it
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Speaker 1: to their donkeys. Joseph watched each bag, making sure to
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Speaker 1: take note of where each one was placed. Joseph and
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Speaker 1: his family waved the men goodbye. They left the courtyard
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Speaker 1: and began to make their way out of the city.
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Speaker 1: Joseph's smile quickly faded as they left. He wore the
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Speaker 1: face of a man ready for battle. He grabbed his
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Speaker 1: scepter and called for his guards follow them.
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Speaker 7: When they approached the end of the city, surround them.
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Speaker 7: Do not be gentle. Bring them back here so zafatna
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Speaker 7: Phania may speak with them.
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Speaker 1: Ned led the guards to the outskirts of the city.
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Speaker 1: The brothers had reached the main road to Canaan when
00:14:42
Speaker 1: a flurry of horses surrounded them. Swords were drawn, pointing
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Speaker 1: menacingly at the brothers.
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Speaker 3: Oh, what is the meaning of this?
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Speaker 1: Ned dismounted and approached the brothers with a dagger in
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Speaker 1: his hand. Judah stepped in front of Benjamin.
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Speaker 7: My master has treated you well. You have decided to
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Speaker 7: disgrace him.
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Speaker 3: What are you talking about. We haven't done anything. We
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Speaker 3: are grateful for zapp and Athpania's generosity.
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Speaker 7: So you say. Yet despite his generosity, you feel the
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Speaker 7: need to steal from him.
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Speaker 3: Far be it from us to do such a thing.
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Speaker 3: I am confident that none of us have stolen a thing.
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Speaker 3: Go ahead and search us. Whichever of us has found
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Speaker 3: with it, that shall die, and the rest of us
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Speaker 3: can be imprisoned as slaves.
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Speaker 2: Judah, you don't have to come up with a punishment
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Speaker 2: for them.
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Speaker 3: I know the truth. None of us are guilty of anything.
00:15:40
Speaker 3: Go ahead, search us.
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Speaker 1: Neat raised his dagger in the air to silence them.
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Speaker 7: It shall be as you say, I know my masters will.
00:15:50
Speaker 7: Whoever has stolen from my master shall be his slave forever.
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Speaker 7: The rest will live in shame.
00:16:00
Speaker 1: His dagger and ripped it through Reuben's bag. The grain
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Speaker 1: began to spill out onto the ground. The brothers watched
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Speaker 1: in silence as he took his dagger and dragged it
00:16:09
Speaker 1: through Simeon's bag, then Levi's, then Judas. From oldest to youngest.
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Speaker 1: He tore apart the bags and allowed all the contents
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Speaker 1: to spill out onto the floor. The sons of Jacob
00:16:21
Speaker 1: watched helplessly as their food was being wasted and blown
00:16:24
Speaker 1: away by the wind. Lastly, Ned made his way to
00:16:28
Speaker 1: Benjamin's bag. He stabbed the bag and allowed his dagger
00:16:33
Speaker 1: to slide downwards. The grain spilled out. Among it was
00:16:38
Speaker 1: Joseph's silver chalice. He took the dagger and sheathed it.
00:16:43
Speaker 1: He picked up the chalice and raised it to Benjamin's face.
00:16:47
Speaker 7: This is my lord's cup. Do you not know that
00:16:51
Speaker 7: this is the cup he uses for prophecy? Perhaps you
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Speaker 7: desire to steal this for his gifts.
00:16:57
Speaker 3: I didn't take that I don't know how it goes there.
00:17:00
Speaker 7: Please, you must believe silence, No, it must.
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Speaker 3: Be a mistake.
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Speaker 1: The guards dismounted their roses and held their swords up
00:17:10
Speaker 1: to the brothers. They bound them, and the brothers yelled
00:17:13
Speaker 1: helplessly as Benjamin was kicked down. Bound with rope, they
00:17:18
Speaker 1: were escorted back to Joseph's estate. The brothers were thrown
00:17:23
Speaker 1: before the feet of Joseph. In front of them knelt Benjamin,
00:17:27
Speaker 1: face bruised from a swift strike to the cheek. The
00:17:31
Speaker 1: guards held their spears close to their necks. Joseph stepped
00:17:35
Speaker 1: down from his throne. The entire room was silent, and
00:17:39
Speaker 1: the brothers trembled in fear ned. Placed the chalice in
00:17:43
Speaker 1: Joseph's hand. He raised it up to the sun, then
00:17:47
Speaker 1: placed it down beside his throne.
00:17:49
Speaker 2: Have you not heard who I am?
00:17:52
Speaker 1: Joseph turned to the sons of Israel. He stepped down, slowly,
00:17:57
Speaker 1: each step seeming to shake the earth with all thot.
00:18:01
Speaker 1: Quiet rage slowly poured out of Joseph like magma.
00:18:05
Speaker 2: I am the prophet of Egypt. I am the one
00:18:08
Speaker 2: whom God speaks to. I am the voice that speaks
00:18:13
Speaker 2: for God. The deliverer of this lad and the one
00:18:17
Speaker 2: who conquered the blight, and you Hebrews, dare steal from me.
00:18:25
Speaker 7: Stop it not for Leo. Please believe me, I did nothing.
00:18:30
Speaker 2: Don't bleed at me like a little lamb. A whole
00:18:34
Speaker 2: pack of them kneels before me. Here I welcomed you
00:18:40
Speaker 2: into my home. I feed you my food and let
00:18:44
Speaker 2: you drink my wine. I give you a double portion
00:18:48
Speaker 2: of grain, and return your money to you. I once
00:18:52
Speaker 2: thought you were spies, Yet here you are shown to
00:18:56
Speaker 2: be peddling and unngrateful thieves.
00:19:01
Speaker 3: Please, my Lord, we are your humble servants. What do
00:19:05
Speaker 3: we do to clear our names?
00:19:07
Speaker 1: Joseph paused for a moment. Memories of Judah flooded back
00:19:11
Speaker 1: into his mind. He remembered looking him in the eyes
00:19:14
Speaker 1: before being thrown into the pit. Judah's words still echoed
00:19:18
Speaker 1: through Joseph's mind.
00:19:20
Speaker 3: Tell me, Joseph, in all your dreaming, did you ever
00:19:24
Speaker 3: imagine this?
00:19:26
Speaker 1: He could feel the pull of revenge gripping his heart.
00:19:30
Speaker 1: Everything in his flesh desired to execute all of them
00:19:34
Speaker 1: for what they did. He desired to use his power
00:19:37
Speaker 1: as a tool to strike them down with justice. However,
00:19:41
Speaker 1: he knew God had called him to something higher. Joseph
00:19:46
Speaker 1: needed to test their hearts. It was time to see
00:19:49
Speaker 1: if they had truly learned from their past sins.
00:19:52
Speaker 2: I am not an unreasonable man. You are all free
00:19:56
Speaker 2: to leave. All I require is the one who stolen
00:20:00
Speaker 2: from me.
00:20:01
Speaker 1: Joseph raised his scepter at Benjamin. He felt like Pharaoh
00:20:05
Speaker 1: in that moment, powerful yet wicked underneath. Yet he had
00:20:11
Speaker 1: to play the part. He was drawing something out of
00:20:14
Speaker 1: his brothers. Silently, he prayed for God to move among them.
00:20:19
Speaker 2: You, young Benjamin, will be my slave. The rest of
00:20:23
Speaker 2: your brothers can walk away with grain in their freedom.
00:20:27
Speaker 2: But you, you are right in the pit until I pluck
00:20:31
Speaker 2: you out and have you labor in my fields until
00:20:35
Speaker 2: the day you die.
00:20:38
Speaker 1: The brothers erupted with protest. They stood to their feet
00:20:41
Speaker 1: and surrounded Benjamin. Judah raised his hands to Joseph.
00:20:47
Speaker 3: Zamenophenia, Please do not take Benjamin.
00:20:51
Speaker 2: Why do you care if I take him? You should
00:20:54
Speaker 2: be thanking me. This brother is clearly your father's favorite.
00:20:59
Speaker 2: I will take you, and you will have more birthright
00:21:02
Speaker 2: to yourselves.
00:21:04
Speaker 3: Only two sons have been born to my father by
00:21:07
Speaker 3: the wife he loves. One perished of them. Benjamin is
00:21:12
Speaker 3: the beating heart of my father. If I don't return
00:21:15
Speaker 3: with him, my father will be dragged down to Sheol.
00:21:19
Speaker 3: He cannot bear it.
00:21:20
Speaker 2: My Lord, seize the boy.
00:21:24
Speaker 1: They took Benjamin and began to drag him away, but
00:21:27
Speaker 1: the brothers rebelled. They were quickly beaten down by the
00:21:30
Speaker 1: guards and held in place. No Judah ran after Benjamin,
00:21:35
Speaker 1: only to be struck by one of the gods. His
00:21:38
Speaker 1: face hit the stone floor. He winced in pain, and
00:21:41
Speaker 1: blood ran down his temple. The entire room was silent.
00:21:45
Speaker 1: The other brothers had spears to their necks and watched
00:21:48
Speaker 1: helplessly as Judah stood back up to his feet. He
00:21:51
Speaker 1: wiped his chin and ran back towards Benjamin again. Again,
00:21:55
Speaker 1: he was struck in the head and returned to the floor.
00:21:58
Speaker 1: Judah lay there on the floe. Law Joseph did nothing.
00:22:02
Speaker 1: He watched his older brother desperately try and fight for
00:22:05
Speaker 1: Benjamin's life. Judah began to weep on the floor. He stood,
00:22:11
Speaker 1: legs quivering and face swollen.
00:22:14
Speaker 2: Please have most.
00:22:17
Speaker 3: So life is bound up with my father's life.
00:22:22
Speaker 2: Why would your father's life be a concern of mine?
00:22:25
Speaker 1: Blood dripped down Judah's head. As he looked Joseph in
00:22:28
Speaker 1: the eyes, Joseph noticed something profoundly different in Judah, something
00:22:34
Speaker 1: he had not yet noticed. Pain, years and years of pain.
00:22:40
Speaker 1: Behind Judah's eyes was the shame of his past sins.
00:22:45
Speaker 1: It was he who had decided to sell Joseph into slavery.
00:22:49
Speaker 1: He was the one who led the brothers against him.
00:22:52
Speaker 1: Since then he had lived a life of regret and anguish.
00:22:57
Speaker 1: Judah shook his head and lifted his arms to Joseph.
00:23:01
Speaker 1: With labored breathing, Judah.
00:23:03
Speaker 2: Begged, take me instead.
00:23:06
Speaker 1: Joseph's heart stopped beating when he heard the words fall
00:23:10
Speaker 1: from Judah's lips.
00:23:12
Speaker 2: What did you say?
00:23:13
Speaker 3: Have me remain as a slave on Benjamin's behalf? Let
00:23:16
Speaker 3: me suffer so he can live?
00:23:18
Speaker 2: You you don't mean that I do.
00:23:23
Speaker 3: Take me, take my life if you must, Benjamin, whether
00:23:28
Speaker 3: innocent or guilty, must return. I will. I will give
00:23:33
Speaker 3: my life up as ransom briers.
00:23:36
Speaker 1: Judah fell to his knees and crawled to Joseph's feet
00:23:40
Speaker 1: with his arms stretched outward. He gave himself up to
00:23:43
Speaker 1: suffer so the one he loved could live. He would
00:23:47
Speaker 1: take on the bondage so his brother could be free.
00:23:51
Speaker 1: It was in that moment that Joseph knew in his
00:23:54
Speaker 1: heart that Judah and the rest of his brothers had
00:23:57
Speaker 1: truly changed the heart of God and reach them.
00:24:11
Speaker 6: This story made me think of the many wintertime journeys
00:24:14
Speaker 6: that I've made to bitter cold Ukraine. There we travel
00:24:18
Speaker 6: to deliver food and supplies to elderly Jewish Holocaust survivors
00:24:23
Speaker 6: who don't have anything, who live alone, who lost all
00:24:26
Speaker 6: of their loved ones in the Holocaust and are now
00:24:29
Speaker 6: old and desperate. I go through the snow across Ukraine,
00:24:35
Speaker 6: visiting these souls who might not survive the harsh winter
00:24:38
Speaker 6: without the help of the Fellowship. Our travels often take
00:24:42
Speaker 6: many hours by car, followed by hikes through sparse rural
00:24:47
Speaker 6: areas and Eastern European forests. All of this I often
00:24:52
Speaker 6: do just to reach one person in need, and to
00:24:57
Speaker 6: some it seems crazy to work so hard for just
00:25:00
Speaker 6: one individual. But as I learned from my father, when
00:25:04
Speaker 6: we have the ability to help someone, it's our duty,
00:25:08
Speaker 6: it's our responsibility, and it's our privilege to help them.
00:25:12
Speaker 6: In today's episode, we hear about Judah. Judah tried to
00:25:16
Speaker 6: secure the release of Benjamin from Joseph, who had yet
00:25:19
Speaker 6: to reveal his true identity. All Judah knew is that
00:25:22
Speaker 6: the Prime Minister of Egypt was holding his baby brother
00:25:26
Speaker 6: Benjamin captive. Judah and his brothers feared not only for
00:25:31
Speaker 6: Benjamin's life, but also for their father, Jacob. Judah pleaded
00:25:35
Speaker 6: with the Egyptian leader, who is secretly his brother. He
00:25:38
Speaker 6: cried out, how can I go back to my father
00:25:41
Speaker 6: if the boy is not with me? And Judah's anguished
00:25:45
Speaker 6: plea revealed to Joseph that his brothers had actually changed.
00:25:50
Speaker 6: Judah's words echo through time with a powerful message for
00:25:54
Speaker 6: us today. How can we live our comfortable lives while
00:25:58
Speaker 6: our brothers and sisters said, we have to make that
00:26:02
Speaker 6: commitment to never abandon God's children in need. Like Judah,
00:26:09
Speaker 6: we have to realize our responsibility to help God's children
00:26:15
Speaker 6: and to realize that we bring sorrow to our father,
00:26:19
Speaker 6: our father in heaven a venu shabasha maim by neglecting
00:26:23
Speaker 6: those that we have the ability to help. In Hebrew,
00:26:26
Speaker 6: the word for charity is stucca, and it shares the
00:26:30
Speaker 6: same root as zedek, which means justice. What this teaches
00:26:36
Speaker 6: us is that charity is not just an act of kindness. Rather,
00:26:40
Speaker 6: it is our spiritual obligation. When we give charity, it
00:26:45
Speaker 6: brings justice into the world, and so we must strive
00:26:49
Speaker 6: to help those in need, even when it's difficult. We
00:26:53
Speaker 6: bring so much pleasure to our father in heaven when
00:26:56
Speaker 6: we take good care of his children. I hear Judah's
00:27:01
Speaker 6: plea as a call to all of us to bridge
00:27:04
Speaker 6: the gaps and heal the wounds. As I said in
00:27:07
Speaker 6: the last episode, the story of Joseph and his brothers
00:27:10
Speaker 6: is the first great reconciliation in the Bible. It inspired
00:27:14
Speaker 6: my father, Rabbi Ekstein of Blessed Memory, to build bridges
00:27:18
Speaker 6: between Christians and Jews and start this new relationship of
00:27:23
Speaker 6: shared love and respect for one another after two thousand
00:27:28
Speaker 6: years of animosity, despite resistance and these historical wounds, he
00:27:34
Speaker 6: worked tirelessly for unity and understanding, and Judah's cry still
00:27:41
Speaker 6: rings true for us today when he says, how can
00:27:44
Speaker 6: I go back to my father if the boy is
00:27:47
Speaker 6: not with me? We cannot return to our father with
00:27:51
Speaker 6: hearts indifferent to our brothers and sisters in need. This
00:27:56
Speaker 6: is our calling, this is our heritage, This is our
00:28:00
Speaker 6: sacred duty as the chosen people. This story is not
00:28:05
Speaker 6: just one of seduka of justice of charities, one of
00:28:08
Speaker 6: teshuva of repentance. Jewish tradition teaches that complete repentance is
00:28:14
Speaker 6: only possible if a person is confronted with the same
00:28:17
Speaker 6: situation in which he or she previously sinned, but this
00:28:21
Speaker 6: time resists the temptation and avoids the sin. The origin
00:28:26
Speaker 6: of that idea may very well lie right here in
00:28:29
Speaker 6: this chapter in the Bible. Joseph, who was still unknown
00:28:33
Speaker 6: to his brother's, engineered a situation similar to the one
00:28:37
Speaker 6: which his brothers caused, similar to the one in which
00:28:42
Speaker 6: his brothers caused him to be carried off to slavery
00:28:45
Speaker 6: in Egypt. He had his servant planned his royal cup
00:28:49
Speaker 6: in Benjamin's bag and is ready to sentence Benjamin to
00:28:52
Speaker 6: life of slavery in Egypt. His brothers, previously neglected, abandoned,
00:28:58
Speaker 6: sold their brother. Would they do everything they could to
00:29:02
Speaker 6: try to protect their brother and keep this from happening.
00:29:06
Speaker 6: Would they repent for their previous sin that they did
00:29:10
Speaker 6: to Joseph in that instance, back then, the brothers sold
00:29:16
Speaker 6: to the other son of Rachel, Benjamin's full brother Joseph,
00:29:20
Speaker 6: into slavery. Would they now let Benjamin become enslaved in
00:29:25
Speaker 6: the same way that they let Joseph become a slave.
00:29:28
Speaker 6: In our next episode, we're going to see how this
00:29:31
Speaker 6: plays out. But this applies directly to us today. When
00:29:35
Speaker 6: we have made a bad mistake in the past and
00:29:37
Speaker 6: are confronted with a similar set of circumstances, we need
00:29:41
Speaker 6: to be strong enough to resist. That's what repentances. So
00:29:48
Speaker 6: how do we live this out? Firstly, it's okay to
00:29:52
Speaker 6: be vulnerable. Is okay to admit when you're struggling, to
00:29:55
Speaker 6: ask for help, to seek reconciliation, even when it's hard
00:29:59
Speaker 6: set choose forgiveness. Just as Joseph forgave his brothers, we
00:30:04
Speaker 6: are called to forgive those who have wronged us. This
00:30:08
Speaker 6: doesn't mean that we condone their actions, but that we
00:30:11
Speaker 6: release them in God's hands. Third, live sacrificially, like Judah,
00:30:18
Speaker 6: step in to bear the burden for others. This might
00:30:21
Speaker 6: mean taking on extra responsibilities at work to help a
00:30:24
Speaker 6: struggling colleague, or giving up your time to listen to
00:30:27
Speaker 6: a friend in need. So as we go out into
00:30:30
Speaker 6: the world, let's hold on to this truth that God
00:30:34
Speaker 6: is always at work, even in the messiness of our lives.
00:30:39
Speaker 6: Let's be people who reflect His love, his grace, his forgiveness,
00:30:43
Speaker 6: and his blessings in every manner, in every interaction we have,
00:30:49
Speaker 6: and in everything we do.
00:30:52
Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle Eckstein
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Speaker 1: possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina,
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Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive
00:31:12
Speaker 1: producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by
00:31:16
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
00:31:21
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
00:31:26
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
00:31:30
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
00:31:34
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
00:31:39
Speaker 1: kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
00:31:43
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