參考版本 AFV  A  Faithful Version 的希臘文 2009版本    

耶和華的事，不謀利沒有版權

1. And the famine was severe in the land.

2. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.”

3. And Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly protested to us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’

4. If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

5. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ ”

6. And Israel said, “Why have you dealt ill with me to tell the man whether you had yet a brother?”

7. And they said, “The man asked us strictly of our state and of our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you yet another brother?’ And we told him according to the tenor of these words. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

8. And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, so that we may live and not die, both we and you, also our little ones.

9. I will be surety for him. You shall require him of my hand. If I do not bring him to you and set him before you, I shall be a sinner against you all the days,

10. For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have returned the second time.”

11. And their father Israel said to them, “If it be so now, do this. Take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and bring a present down to the man, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

12. And take double silver in your hand, and the silver that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand. Perhaps it was an oversight.

13. Take also your brother and arise; go again to the man.

14. And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, then I am bereaved.”

15. And the men took that present, and they took double silver in their hand, and Benjamin. And they rose up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

 (A Faithful Version)

1. 飢荒的情況依然嚴峻。

2. 以色列從埃及地帶來的糧都快沒有，便對眾人說：是時候再去買糧了。

3. 猶大出言：那總管說明，除非有小兄弟同去，否則就不會再接見我們。

4. 你願意讓我們帶小兄弟同去，才會去買糧。

5. 如果不願意，就不去，總管再三說：除非小兄弟同來，其他免問。

6. 以色列無奈地說：為什麼這樣對我，為何告知仍有位小兄弟？

7. 猶大說：那總管嚴厲地詢問我們家中狀況和有什麼親屬，你們的父親還在？還有別的兄弟？唯有照實告之。怎麼都沒想能想到，會要求帶小兄弟到來。

8. 請你打發小兄弟跟我們一起前去，我們就不至受到處分，不單是我們，父親和小兄弟也會無事。

9. 我保證，爭取會親手帶他們回來。若是不能，就成了在你眼中永遠的罪人。

10. 若無特別事故發生，第二次也必回來。

11. 以色列聽後回應：但願如此。就這樣決定。你們去的時候，帶點從這裡田間出產的，如乳香、蜂蜜、香料、沒藥、開心果和杏仁等，送給那總管作為禮物。

12. 還有還他雙倍的銀子，退回之前的買銀，相信是一時疏忽導致。

13. 就帶同小兄弟同去見那總管。

14. 也許耶和華讓你們眾人在那總管面前蒙悅納，放出西緬也讓便雅憫回來。如果不能，那就認命。

15. 立定主意後，就帶著禮物，雙倍的銀子，便雅憫隨去，一眾人等回到埃及去朝見約瑟。

這段描繪是雅各對不確定的因素時，如何因為耶和華令他放下憂慮，接受不可知的將來。也許他的信心之旅能提醒許多人。

人有恐懼，這是事實？還是被過度誇張？有一件可以肯定的是，對將來的不可知有一定關係。

From AI:

Fear of the unknown  is a natural psychological response to uncertainty, often termed  intolerance of uncertainty  in clinical contexts.   It occurs when the brain lacks sufficient information to predict outcomes, triggering the  fight-or-flight response  and leading to  worst-case scenario thinking  as a protective mechanism. 

• Neural Basis: The brain’s  amygdala  becomes hyperactive, increasing  hypervigilance, while the  anterior insula  may inflate estimates of potential danger.
• Evolutionary Root: This fear is adaptive, designed to keep ancestors alert to unpredictable threats like predators, though it often misfires in modern, low-risk situations.
• Impact: High intolerance for uncertainty is linked to  anxiety disorders, depression, and rumination, as individuals struggle to update threat associations even when safety is established. 
• Management: Effective strategies include  mindfulness  to ground attention in the present,  cognitive behavioral therapy  to challenge catastrophizing, and gradually building tolerance through small, controlled exposures to uncertainty.

雅各這種不確定是源於失去，不想再受多一次失去的情感創傷。因而有高度的不確定的擔心，便雅憫離開，會不會像失去約瑟，和面緬被扣押或者不可知的情況出現。這種感覺是有事實在現實中出現，它不只從現實考量有其必要，因而對信心就有了介心，不會十足的相信。

雅各的擔心，是現實，不是虛構。他如何克服這種心理？

如果用今日的方法，那是 cognitive behavioral therapy  認知行為的療法，是考量實際的處境，作出理性的漸進方式處理。意思就是把信心加起來，有了信心就有改變的可能。信靠耶和華，不就是把信心一次過交託那位無所不在、無所不知及無所不能的創造者。這是有過程去克服，以色列克服的過程是這樣：

1. 有猶大拍心口保證。猶大的保證有效？沒有。做父親當然了解子女有多少斤両，不會全然相信。只心有保證就算不行，都會助長信心。

2. 認清事實。西緬事實是被囚不是死，只是付出的條件實在困難，會否二條生命都會損失？可是，又沒有其他辦法可取。

3. 信心的交託。雅各曾與耶和華摔跤，這是他信心之源。

4. 以防萬一。如果貪財，這可是一救命的良方。

當遇上問題的人，有幾多可以這樣去考慮？現實在個案的例子，能產生充足的信心是很少。以色列，他可以。有何證明？萬一這是事實，他全然接受：

這句正好說明14. 也許耶和華讓你們眾人在那總管面前蒙悅納，放出西緬也讓便雅憫回來。如果不能，那就認命。

也許耶和華讓這決定包含一個事實和一個希望。而雅各接受事實，只是事實正是他的希望。對耶和華有信心的，祂給出正面的回應。為何如此？因為愛，它從來不會是單方面，是耶和華先愛我們。若你有愛去回應，就多分享。