Arising out of this idea of mixing and interweaving comes that of the

surety, who is so intimately associated with the obligation laid upon the one

for whom he acts, that he can be treated in his stead.  So we get:

'Thy servant became surety for the lad' (Gen. 44:32).

'He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it' (Prov. 11:15).

'We have mortgaged our lands' (Neh. 5:3).

'Give pledges to my lord the king' (2 Kings 18:23).

In Ezekiel 27:9,27 we find the word translated 'occupy' in the sense of

exchange or bartering.  In the same way we understand the expression,

'Occupy, till I come', and still speak of a man's trade as his 'occupation'.

Such is the underlying meaning of the word 'surety' -- one who

identifies himself with another in order to bring about deliverance from

obligations.  This is clearly seen in Proverbs 22:26,27: 'Be not thou one of

them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.  If thou hast

nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?'  It is

evident from this passage that the surety was held liable for the debts of

the one whose cause he had espoused, even to the loss of his bed, and this

meant practically his all, as may be seen by consulting Exodus 22:26,27: 'If

thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it

unto him by that the sun goeth down: for that is his covering only, it is his

raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep?'

The Type.  While some feature of suretyship enters into practically

every typical sacrifice of the law, and while it is set forth by the laying

of the offerer's hand upon the head of the offering, the fullest type of the

surety is found before the Law, in the story of Judah and Benjamin (Gen. 42

to 44).  It is necessary that these three chapters in Genesis be read so that

the Scriptural setting of this type may be seen, and we trust that every

reader who has any appreciation of the Berean spirit, will not read a word

further until these chapters have been read as before the Lord.  We will now

point out the steps in the narrative that illuminate the type.

The Cause.  This is found in the famine that was in all lands, against

which Joseph had been divinely guided to provide (Gen. 41:54):

'Now when Jacob saw that

there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his

sons, Why do ye look one

upon another?  And he said, Behold, I have

heard that there is corn

in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us

from thence; that we may

live, and not die' (Gen. 42:1,2).

Joseph's ten brethren, therefore, proceed to Egypt, leaving Benjamin

behind, for Jacob feared lest his younger son might be lost to him, even as

was Joseph.  Upon arrival in Egypt, Joseph's brethren bow before him, and

although Joseph recognizes them, they know him not.  In order to bring them

to repentance for their sin, and to make them confess concerning Benjamin and

his father, Joseph accuses them of being spies, to which they reply: 'We are

all one man's sons ... thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man

in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father,

and one is not' (Gen. 42:11-13).  Joseph then says to them: 'Ye are spies ...

by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest

brother come hither' (Gen. 42:14,15).

The brethren were then put into ward for three days, during which time

the sin against Joseph their brother came to the surface: 'We are verily