1 Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, 2 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. 4 They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’”
6 When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. 7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! 8 Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord’s servants.” 10 He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” 11 Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12 And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground. 15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?” 16 And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” 17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Joseph told his steward to fill the brothers’ sacks and again put their money back in the top of their sacks. He told him to put his silver cup into Benjamin’s sack along with his money. Shortly after the brothers left, Joseph sent his steward after them to stop them and accuse them of repaying his good with evil. He had shown them hospitality and the accusation was that one of them had stolen from him. They are mortified at the accusation. They point out that they had brought back the extra silver they had found from the last trip. They go so far as to say that if the cup is found, the one who has stolen it should die and the rest will be his servants. The steward accepts their offer but modifies it. He said that whoever is found to have taken the cup would be his servant and the rest will be released as innocent. Then he searched the sacks beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
The brothers are faced with another opportunity to betray one of their own. They could have walked away but they tore their clothes in grief, the same response they had caused their father all those years before over Joseph’s loss. They all returned to Joseph’s house together.
Joseph challenged them on what they had done. He continued to play the part of the Egyptian ruler. It’s unlikely he really practiced divination. Judah accepted all their guilt and offered no excuse. He said that they would all serve as his servants, not only Benjamin.
Joseph’s plan had been to bring the brother’s to the point where they accept their guilt. He had retained Simeon and now Benjamin to test whether they would remain selfish and indifferent to the suffering of their brothers and their father. Through Joseph, God has put the brothers through a series of situations that have reminded them of their guilt in what they did to Joseph all those years ago. Is there something God is repeatedly bringing to mind for you that you need to deal with today?