Genesis 44:2-12

2 forsooth put thou in the sack's mouth of the youngest my silver cup, and the price of the wheat which he gave; and it was done so. (and put my silver cup in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and also the money which he gave for his corn, or his grain; and it was done so.)
3 And when the morrowtide (a)rose, they were delivered with their asses. (And when the morning came, they were let go with their donkeys.)
4 And now they had gone out of the city, and had gone forth a little; then Joseph said, when the dispenser of his house was called, Rise thou, pursue the men, and say thou when they be taken, Why have ye yielded evil for good? (And when they had gone out of the city, and had gone forth a little; then Joseph said, when the steward of his house was called, Rise thou up, and pursue the men, and say thou when they be taken, Why have ye given back evil for good?)
5 The cup, which ye have stolen, is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine; ye have done a full wicked thing.
6 He did as Joseph commanded, and when they were (over)taken (and when he had overtaken them), he spake by order these things;
7 the which answered, Why speaketh our lord so, (saying) that thy servants have done so great a trespass?
8 We brought again to thee from the land of Canaan the money that we found in the height of our sacks, and how is it following that we have stolen from thy lord's house gold or silver? (We brought back to thee from the land of Canaan the money that we found in the top of our sacks, so how followeth it, that we would steal gold or silver from thy lord's house?)
9 At whomever of thy servants this that thou seekest is found, die he, and we shall be servants of my lord. (With whomever of thy servants that the cup which thou seekest is found, let him die, and the rest of us shall be my lord's slaves.)
10 Which said to them, Be it done by your sentence; at whom it is found, be he my servant; forsooth ye shall be guiltless. (And the steward said to them, So be it done by your own sentence; with whomever it is found, he shall be my slave; but the rest of you shall go free.)
11 And so they did down hastily their sacks on the earth, and all they opened them, (And so they hastily did down their sacks onto the ground, and they all opened them,)
12 the which he sought (through); and he began at the most till to the least, and he found the cup in Benjamin's sack. (and then the steward searched through all the sacks; and he began at the eldest, and worked down to the youngest, and he found the cup in Benjamin's sack.)

Genesis 44:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 44

This chapter relates the policy of Joseph in making an experiment of his brethren's regard and affection for Benjamin; he ordered his steward to put every man's money into his sack, and his silver cup in Benjamin's, and when they were got out of the city, to follow after them, and charge them with the theft, as he did; and having searched their sacks, as they desired he would, found the cup with Benjamin, which threw them into the utmost distress, and obliged them to return to Joseph, Ge 44:1-14; who charged them with their ill behaviour towards him; they acknowledge it, and propose to be his servants; but he orders them to depart to their father, retaining Benjamin in servitude, Ge 44:15-17; upon which Judah addressed him in a very polite and affectionate manner, and relates the whole story, both of what passed between Joseph and them, concerning Benjamin, the first time they were in Egypt, and between their father and them upon the same subject, when he directed them to go a second time thither to buy corn, and how he became a surety to his father for him, and therefore proposed to be his bondman now, not being able to see his father's face without Benjamin, Ge 44:18-34.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.