Benjamin and the Silver Goblet

Children's Literature - Judy Silverman

The story of Joseph and his coat is one of the first stories we seem to tell young children. After all, brothers are often mean to each other. Benjamin, as the youngest, cannot do a lot of things that the older boys can do. And because Joseph is missing, their father Jacob cannot bear the thought of losing another child, and keeps Benjamin very close. But now there is a famine—no one has enough to eat—and rumor has it that there is plenty in Egypt. Jacob will send the boys there to ask for help. But not all the boys—Benjamin will stay at home. Benjamin does not like this idea, of course, and this time the older boys agree with him. They will take care of him and they will certainly bring him back; father is not to worry about a thing. They do warn Benjamin that travel is rarely comfortable and never easy. Benjamin does not care about that, he just wants to see new things—anything he has never seen before. He finds that his brothers were right. He is not always comfortable. It is a long, difficult journey, but it is worth it. At the end of the trip they see the Pharaoh's aide, who seems to be very interested in them. He will give them all the food that they have asked for. But when they leave, suddenly he accuses one of them of stealing a silver goblet. None of the brothers would ever think of stealing anything! But when their belongings are searched, a silver goblet is found in Benjamin's pack. All will end well, of course, and we can ignore the inconsistencies of everyone's ages—Joseph and the older brothers all seem to have aged, but Benjamin is still a young teenager—because the story is told so charmingly. Recommended. Reviewer: Judy Silverman

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3

The biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors is widely known, but less so is the tale of how Joseph's family was finally reunited through Benjamin, his youngest brother. It's a story of intrigue, as the older brothers hid their past crime of selling Joseph into Egyptian slavery, and Joseph (now a powerful Egyptian governor) framed Benjamin as a thief to see how his brothers reacted (would they protect or forsake him?). Benjamin's point of view is the focus here, and his youthful, open-hearted responses to his adventures help to clarify the story's murky motivations for young readers. In the denouement, Benjamin realized that "he would always be safe" with his reunited brothers, making for an emotionally satisfying conclusion. The writing is elegantly simple. Full-color spreads give a sense of the Middle Eastern landscape, and the artist makes each of the 12 brothers a distinct individual. The faces are expressive, and Benjamin, in particular, appears lovably innocent. A fine introduction to the biblical tale for young readers, with a strong message about the importance of forgiveness and family.-Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

Kirkus Reviews

When Jacob's sons arrive home from their travels in Egypt, they tell their father that one brother is being held as a hostage by the governor, who demands that they return with the youngest brother, Benjamin. The child, aching to see the world, is only too happy to oblige, though Jacob fears that he will lose this son the way he lost his eldest, Joseph, years before. In Egypt, the governor treats them lavishly, but as they depart, his silver goblet is found among Benjamin's possessions. Unbeknownst to them, the governor is actually Joseph, sold into slavery years before by these elder brothers. He is testing his siblings to see if they will seek to sell this child, too, to atone for the cup. Instead they beg for mercy, proving remorse for their former actions and prompting a happy reunion. Well paced and well told, this familiar story makes itself fresh with a folkloric feel and a satisfying ending. Ugliano's heavily textured, colorful pastel illustrations ably support and extend the text. This is the third in the publisher's Bible series. (author's note) (Picture book/religion. 6-9)