Gen. 44:17-3117And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. 18Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. 19My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? 20And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. 21And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. 23And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. 24And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. 26And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. 27And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: 28And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: 29And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 30Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; 31It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. (Genesis 44:17‑31)
Joseph, who was anxious to prove the reality of his brothers’ confession, had yet one further test. They had themselves set forth the terms of the penalty to be executed against them: “Behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.” But Joseph replied: “God forbid that I should do so; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.”
Knowing full well that the man in whose hand the cup was found, that is, Benjamin, was innocent, he feigned indifference as to his fate by offering the others a means of escape if, in selfishness, they would forsake their younger brother.
Joseph remembered only too well how readily he had been forsaken by these same men at Dothan, heedless of his cries and tears. Would they now leave Egypt as free men amid the tears of Benjamin, or had their proclaimed confession of guilt brought a true change of heart in them? We can see how God guided Joseph in wisdom to devise such a test as this. The truth of the matter must now be revealed in his presence.
“Then Judah came near unto him, and said, O my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.” v. 18. Judah then unburdened his heart before this “mighty man,” recounting the whole history of events from their first journey down to Egypt, their return to their father, their father’s reluctance to let them go again with Benjamin, and finally concluded: “Now therefore when I come to the servant my father, and the lad b not with us... he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.” vv. 30, 31.
It is interesting to see that before Judah spoke so freely to Joseph he “came near unto him.” Previously he had been afraid to be in the house of this unknown ruler, but now he found boldness to draw near to him, aware that only in this place could he plead for mercy. Witnessing this scene in Joseph’s house reminds us of a more wonderful invitation: “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” Jas. 4:88Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. (James 4:8); again “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them.” Psalm 145:18-1918The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 19He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. (Psalm 145:18‑19).
Joseph did not withdraw from the one who approached him in sincerity of heart, but inwardly welcomed him, longing to hear the expressions that would open the door to the clearing of guilty conscience and the outflowing of forgiving love to the very ones who before had “hated him without a cause.” Our blessed Saviour will never turn away from anyone who comes to Him in sincerity of heart, no matter how greatly that one may be stained with sin.
ML 10/01/1967