Genesis 44:1-17

Joseph Tests His Brothers

1 Then he commanded ¹the steward of his house, ²“Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack,

2 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain. ” And he did as Joseph told him.

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys.

4 They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his ³steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? ^[a]

5 Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and ⁴by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this. ’”

6 When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words.

7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

8 Behold, ⁵the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?

9 ⁶Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be ⁷my lord’s servants. ”

10 He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent. ”

11 Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

12 And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 Then they ⁸tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They ⁹fell before him to the ground.

15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me ¹⁰can indeed practice divination? ”

16 And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out ¹¹the guilt of your servants; behold, we are ¹²my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found. ”

17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father. ”

Genesis 44:1-17 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.

Cross References

• 1. 44:1 ver. 4; See ch. 43:16
• 2. 44:1 ch. 42:25
• 3. 44:4 ver. 1
• 4. 44:5 ver. 15; ch. 30:27; [2 Kgs. 21:6; 2 Chr. 33:6]
• 5. 44:8 ch. 43:21
• 6. 44:9 [ch. 31:32]
• 7. 44:9 ver. 16
• 8. 44:13 ch. 37:29
• 9. 44:14 ch. 37:7, 9, 10; 42:6; 43:26, 28
• 10. 44:15 ver. 5
• 11. 44:16 ch. 37:18; [Num. 32:23]
• 12. 44:16 ver. 9

Footnotes

• [a] 44:4 Septuagint (compare Vulgate) adds 'Why have you stolen my silver cup?'