From Ben-oni to Benjamin
Chapter 1: The Loss
Benjamin was watching for Joseph to come home. It was boring when his big brother wasn't there. Joseph made everything fun. Suddenly, he saw his other older brothers returning, but Joseph was not with them. The brothers had brought something back with them, which they took to their father. They said, "We found this; please examine it to see whether it is your son's tunic or not."
Their father looked at it, and said with a great wail, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured it; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!" Israel tore his clothes in mourning. Benjamin stood, disbelieving what he had just heard. Joseph, dead? He took off running; he didn't know where. He just needed to get out of there. He somehow made his way to their favorite place to play. There he threw himself onto the ground and just cried. How could he go on, now that his brother and best friend was dead?
Somehow, he did find the strength to go on, but it was not easy. His father mourned Joseph for a long time, but when he had finally realized that all the mourning in the world would not bring Joseph back, he immediately began doting on Benjamin. It was quite clear who was his favorite now that Joseph was gone. But the other brothers did not seem to hate Benjamin as they had Joseph. In fact, it seemed like when Joseph died, all the hate had gone out of them. It also seemed like they were grieving over Joseph, but their grief was different. It was almost like they felt guilty. Over what, Benjamin didn't know. Years passed, 13 to be exact, and though the family was never the same, it healed and went on. In the 13th year since Joseph had been gone, they had a very large harvest. "It seems as though God is blessing us, even as my father Isaac prayed of me, 'Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine.'" Jacob said in wonder as he looked out over the rich fields. They had a feast that night, and the next, and the next, and the... well, you get the idea. They had wonderful harvests for the next 6 years, but in the 8th year, a famine slowly began to creep over the land. "Father, there is no grain this year."
Jacob looked at Reuben, astonished. "None?"
"No. None."
"What are we to do, what are we to do? God, we need Your help." Weeks passed, and their food supplies ran very low. One day, Israel said to his sons, "Why are you staring at one another? Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die." So all of the brothers set out the next day for Egypt, except for Benjamin. "Father, why can't I go with them?"
"Because, Benjamin, I am afraid that something will happen to you like it did to Joseph." The pair said nothing more as they watched the brothers disappear beyond the horizon.
