Gen. 44:7-167And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: 8Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? 9With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen. 10And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. 11Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. 12And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 13Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. 14And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. 15And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? 16And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. (Genesis 44:7‑16)
“And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing.” v 7. Joseph’s brethren reminded the steward that they had brought back the money previously found in their sacks. Would this indicate that they were thieves? So certain were they of their innocence that they proposed: “With whomsoever of thy servants it (the silver cup) be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.” v. 9.
To this the steward agreed. Starting with the eldest man, the sacks were opened, one by one. He refrained from accusing them concerning the money that appeared with every one of them, for the item of prime importance at this time was the silver cup. But as the money appeared in one sack after another, how it must have troubled each man to find himself again in so disastrous a position. Yet the cup itself failed to appear, until at the very last it was found in Benjamin’s sack.
In abject grief and dismay at this “they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.” v. 13. Straight to Joseph’s house the sad company went and he was waiting for them. Like Elisha, thinking of his disobedient servant, Joseph might have said to them: “Went not my heart with you?” He would be sure to be there when they returned, just as the father waited patiently for the return of his prodigal son and as the God of love now patiently welcomes all who will come to Him in their need.
But it was not yet a time for kindness. Their hearts must be searched out before they can receive a blessing and the process will be painful indeed. “And they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? Wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine (or make trial)?” vv. 14, 15.
Now here was the real testing for these brothers, standing in the presence of their accuser. Shall they plead their innocence? Shall they recite again that they are “true men” and tell of their good behavior? Or as the most obvious and easiest escape for them, shall they allow Benjamin to alone bear the accusation, for after all, the cup had been found with him? Shall they let him stand condemned, even put to death, while the other ten went free?
How happy we are to find that these men, who had such a stained history, now turned from these avenues of escape and put themselves entirely at the mercy of the one bore whom they stood. “And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.” v. 16.
ML 09/17/1967