And the Silver Cup Goes To…

Genesis 44:1 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.  2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.   4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?   5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.'” 

6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that!  8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?  9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”

Protesting their innocence
with a little added drama probably wasn’t the best idea.

10 “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.”

Something got lost in translation here.  It was supposed to be one dies and the rest are slaves…not one stays as a slave, the others are free from blame.  Maybe the steward was told why he was given such odd instructions to speak when Benjamin was caught with the silver cup.

11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.   12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.  13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.

Think about it:

• Had they been willing to sacrifice Benjamin, would they have torn their clothes? 
• Think back to Jacob and this special son of Rachel.  Why did they tear their clothes in grief?
• If they would sacrifice Benjamin too, would they have loaded their donkeys up and all returned to the city?
• What might the appearance of all the brothers say to Joseph about their character and whether they were changed men?