that should come to buy corn, and also the name of their
father and their grandfather, and every evening the list of
names thus made was handed to Joseph. These precautions
were bound to bring Joseph's brethren down to Egypt, and
also acquaint him with their coming as soon as they entered
the land.

On their journey his brethren thought more of Joseph
than of their errand. They said to one another: "We know
that Joseph was carried down into Egypt, and we will make
search for him there, and if we should find him, we will
ransom him from his master, and if his master should refuse
to sell him, we will use force, though we perish ourselves."[202]

At the gates of the city of Egypt, the brethren of Joseph
were asked what their names were, and the names of their
father and grandfather. The guard on duty happened to be
Manasseh, the son of Joseph. The brethren submitted to
being questioned, saying "Let us go into the town, and we
shall see whether this taking down of our names be a matter
of taxes. If it be so, we shall not demur; but if it be something
else, we shall see to-morrow what can be done in the
case."[203]

On the evening of the day they entered Egypt, Joseph
discovered their names in the list, which he was in the
habit of examining daily, and he commanded that all
stations for the sale of corn be closed, except one only.
Furthermore, even at this station no sales were to be negotiated
unless the name of the would-be purchaser was first