Genesis 44:4

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?)

Genesis 44:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 44:4

[And] when they were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far
off
Which perhaps was Tanis, the Zoan of the Scriptures; see ( Ezekiel 30:14 ) , margin; Joseph said unto his steward, up, follow after the men;
who no doubt was ready provided with men and horses, to go out and pursue when Joseph should give the orders, he being privy to Joseph's intentions, and with whom the scheme was concerted, and the secret was. Joseph appears to have been up very early this morning, and had observed the exact time of his brethren's departure, and guessed whereabouts they might be when he sent his steward, and others after them; for it can hardly be thought he was sent alone after eleven men, and to charge them with a theft, and bring them back again: and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, wherefore have ye
rewarded evil for good?
in taking away the silver cup, when they had been so kindly and bountifully entertained. This he was to represent as base ingratitude, as it would have appeared, had it been fact. In much such manner was Esop used by the inhabitants of Delphos; they, being displeased with him, put a sacred cup or vial into his bags, which he, being ignorant of, went on his way towards Phocis; and they ran after him, and seized him, and charged him with sacrilege ^F8.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Scholia ad Vespes Aristophanis, p. 534. Ed. Genev. 1607.

Genesis 44:4 In-Context

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;