And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in the mouth of his sack.

2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.” And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

4 And when they had gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, “Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, ‘Why have ye rewarded evil for good?

5 Is not this that from which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? Ye have done evil in so doing.’”

6 And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these same words.

7 And they said unto him, “Why saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing!

8 Behold, the money which we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan. How then would we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold?

9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.”

10 And 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.”

11 Then every man speedily took down his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

12 And he searched, and began with the eldest and ended with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 Then they rent their clothes; and every man loaded his ass, and returned to the city.

14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house (for he was yet there), and they fell before him on the ground.

15 And Joseph said unto them, “What deed is this that ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?”

16 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 was found.”

17 And 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, go up in peace unto your father.”

18 Then 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.

19 My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have ye a father or a brother?’

20 And 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.’

21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, ‘Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.’

22 And we said unto my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.’

24 And it came to pass, when we came up unto thy servant, my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 And our father said, ‘Go again, and buy us a little food.’

26 And 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 unless our youngest brother is with us.’

27 And thy servant, my father, said unto us, ‘Ye know that my wife bore me two sons;

28 and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces”; and I saw him not since.

29 And if ye take this also from me, and harm befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.’

30 Now 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,

31 it 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.

32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, ‘If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.’

33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant remain instead of the lad as a bondman to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren.

34 For how shall I go up to my father and the lad be not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come upon my father?”

And hee commaunded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the mens sackes with food, as much as they can carie, and put euery mans money in his sacks mouth.

2And put my cup, the siluer cup, in the sackes mouth of the youngest, and his corne money: and he did according to the word that Ioseph had spoken.

3Assoone as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they, and their asses.

4And when they were gone out of the citie, and not yet farre off, Ioseph said vnto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou doest ouertake them, say vnto them, Wherefore haue ye rewarded euill for good?

5Is not this it, in which my lord drinketh? and whereby indeed he diuineth? ye haue done euill in so doing.

6 And he ouertooke them, and he spake vnto them these same words.

7And they said vnto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy seruants should doe according to this thing.

8Behold, the money which wee found in our sackes mouthes, wee brought againe vnto thee, out of the land of Canaan: how then should wee steale out of thy lords house, siluer or golde?

9With whom soeuer of thy seruants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lords bondmen.

10And he said, Now also let it be according vnto your wordes: hee with whom it is found, shall be my seruant: and ye shall be blamelesse.

11Then they speedily tooke downe euery man his sacke to the ground, and opened euery man his sacke.

12And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the yongest: and the cup was found in Beniamins sacke.

13Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, and returned to the citie.

14 And Iudah and his brethren came to Iosephs house: (for he was yet there) and they fell before him on the ground.

15And Ioseph said vnto them, What deed is this that ye haue done? wote ye not, that such a man as I can certainely diuine?

16And Iudah said, What shall wee say vnto my lord? what shal we speake? or how shall we cleare our selues? God hath found out the iniquitie of thy seruants: beholde, wee are my lords seruants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

17And he said, God forbid that I should doe so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shal be my seruant; and as for you, get you vp in peace vnto your father.

18 Then Iudah came neere vnto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy seruant, I pray thee, speake a word in my lords eares, & let not thine anger burne against thy seruant: for thou art euen as Pharaoh.

19My lord asked his seruants, saying; Haue ye a father, or a brother?

20And we said vnto my lord, Wee haue a father, an olde man, and a childe of his old age, a little one: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loueth him.

21And thou saidst vnto thy seruants, Bring him downe vnto mee, that I may set mine eyes vpon him.

22And we said vnto my lord, The lad cannot leaue his father: for if hee should leaue his father, his father would die.

23And thou saidst vnto thy seruants, Except your yongest brother come downe with you, you shall see my face no more.

24And it came to passe when wee came vp vnto thy seruant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25And our father said, Goe againe, and buy vs a little food.

26And we saide, Wee cannot goe downe: if our yongest brother be with vs, then will we goe downe: for wee may not see the mans face, except our yongest brother be with vs.

27And thy seruant my father said vnto vs, Ye know that my wife bare me two sonnes.

28And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torne in pieces: and I saw him not since.

29And if ye take this also from me, and mischiefe befall him, ye shall bring downe my gray haires with sorrow to the graue.

30Now therefore when I come to thy seruant my father, and the lad bee not with vs; (seeing that his life is bound vp in the lads life.)

31It shall come to passe, when he seeth that the lad is not with vs, that he will die, and thy seruants shall bring downe the gray haires of thy seruant our father with sorrow to the graue.

32For thy seruant became surety for the lad vnto my father, saying, If I bring him not vnto thee, then I shall beare the blame to my father, for euer.

33Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy seruant abide in stead of the lad, a bondman to my lord, and let the lad goe vp with his brethren.

34For how shall I goe vp to my father, and the lad be not with mee, lest peraduenture I see the euill that shall come on my father?

 

VIII == Gen 43:21

 

 

 

IX == Gen 31:32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIII = Gen 37:29 , 34 ; Num 14:6 ; 2nd Sam 1:11

 

XIV == Gen 37:7

 

XV == Gen 44:5

 

 

 

XVI == Gen 44:9

 

 

 

 

XVII == Prov 17:15

 

 

XVIII == Gen 18:30 , 32 ; Ex 32:22

 

 

 

 

 

XX == Gen 37:3

 

 

 

XXI == Gen 42:15 , 20

 

 

 

 

 

XXIII == Gen 43:3 , 5

 

 

 

 

XXV == Gen 43:2

 

 

 

 

XXVII == Gen 46:19

 

XXVIII == Gen 37:33

 

XXIX == Gen 42:36 , 38

 

XXX == 1st Sam 18:1

 

 

 

XXXII == Gen 43:9

 

 

 

XXXIII == Ex 32:32

 

 

XXXIV == Ex 18:8 ; Job 31:29 ; Ps 116:3 ; 119:143

1 Then Joseph gave his head steward these instructions: "Fill the men's bags with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his bag.

2 In the mouth of the youngest one's bag put also my silver goblet, together with the money for his rations." The steward carried out Joseph's instructions.

3 At daybreak the men and their donkeys were sent off.

4 They had not gone far out of the city when Joseph said to his head steward: "Go at once after the men! When you overtake them, say to them, 'Why did you repay good with evil? Why did you steal the silver goblet from me?

5 It is the very one from which my master drinks and which he uses for divination. What you have done is wrong.'"

6 When the steward overtook them and repeated these words to them,

7 they remonstrated with him: "How can my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money that we found in the mouths of our bags. Why, then, would we steal silver or gold from your master's house?

9 If any of your servants is found to have the goblet, he shall die, and as for the rest of us, we shall become my lord's slaves."

10 But he replied, "Even though it ought to be as you propose, only the one who is found to have it shall become my slave, and the rest of you shall be exonerated."

11 Then each of them eagerly lowered his bag to the ground and opened it;

12 and when a search was made, starting with the oldest and ending with the youngest, the goblet turned up in Benjamin's bag.

13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then, when each man had reloaded his donkey, they returned to the city.

14 As Judah and his brothers reentered Joseph's house, he was still there; so they flung themselves on the ground before him.

15 "How could you do such a thing?" Joseph asked them. "You should have known that such a man as I could discover by divination what happened."

16 Judah replied: "What can we say to my lord? How can we plead or how try to prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants' guilt. Here we are, then, the slaves of my lord - the rest of us no less than the one in whose possession the goblet was found."

17 "Far be it from me to act thus!" said Joseph. "Only the one in whose possession the goblet was found shall become my slave; the rest of you may go back safe and sound to your father."

18 Judah then stepped up to him and said: "I beg you, my lord, let your servant speak earnestly to my lord, and do not become angry with your servant, for you are the equal of Pharaoh.

19 My lord asked your servants, 'Have you a father, or another brother?'

20 So we said to my lord, 'We have an aged father, and a young brother, the child of his old age. This one's full brother is dead, and since he is the only one by that mother who is left, his father dotes on him.'

21 Then you told your servants, 'Bring him down to me that my eyes may look on him.'

22 We replied to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father; his father would die if he were to leave him.'

23 But you told your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes back with you, you shall not come into my presence again.'

24 When we returned to your servant our father, we reported to him the words of my lord.

25 "Later, our father told us to come back and buy some food for the family.

26 So we reminded him, 'We cannot go down there; only if our youngest brother is with us can we go, for we may not see the man if our youngest brother is not with us.'

27 Then your servant our father said to us, 'As you know, my wife bore me two sons.

28 One of them, however, disappeared, and I had to conclude that he must have been torn to pieces by wild beasts; I have not seen him since.

29 If you now take this one away from me too, and some disaster befalls him, you will send my white head down to the nether world in grief.'

30 "If then the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, whose very life is bound up with his, he will die as soon as he sees that the boy is missing;

31 and your servants will thus send the white head of our father down to the nether world in grief.

32 Besides, I, your servant, got the boy from his father by going surety for him, saying, 'If I fail to bring him back to you, father, you can hold it against me forever.'

33 Let me, your servant, therefore, remain in place of the boy as the slave of my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.

34 How could I go back to my father if the boy were not with me? I could not bear to see the anguish that would overcome my father."

v 1-5. At first light they were sent away with their loads. Again the money was restored in the sacks, and in addition, Joseph’s silver cup was put in Benjamin’s sack. When the steward was sent after them, this was the final test to see if they would be selfish under pressure.

v 6-11. When the steward accused them, they were so sure of their innocence, they offered death to the offender and slavery for themselves. He said he only held the guilty one responsible and the rest could go free.

v 12,13. Joseph no doubt supplied the age, as at the table, for the systematic search. They were in great grief, knowing Israel’s instruction concerning Benjamin.

v 14-17. Yet again they bow before Joseph, this time in the utmost fear and trembling. They don’t know what happened, but they think God is still judging them for what they did to Joseph. The science of divining: He speaks of himself according to what he was esteemed in that kingdom. And indeed, he being truly a prophet, knew more without comparison than any of the Egyptian sorcerers. He infers to them that he divined their ages and actions by his cup. Judah was ready to keep the vow of verse 9, but Joseph repeats the words of the steward that only the guilty one be punished. The brothers passed the last test. Whether Benjamin was guilty or not, they grieved and stood by him.

v 18-29. In total submission to the great Joseph, Judah recounts the events from the time of their first visit, through Israel’s objections to bringing Benjamin.

v 30-34. Judah makes good on his vow to be responsible for Benjamin, 43;9, but unselfishly pleads for Benjamin on the basis his loss would be the death of Israel. Judah has proven to be totally different from the way he acted with young Joseph. He was the one who suggested selling him. Now he becomes a type of Christ, willing to give his life for another.

His gray hairs: That is, his person, now far advanced in years.-- With sorrow unto hell: The Hebrew word for hell is here sheol, the Greek hades: it is not taken for the hell of the damned; but for that place of souls below where the servants of God were kept before the coming of Christ. Which place, both in the Scripture and in the creed, is named hell.