441 Then he gave orders to the servant who was over his house, saying, Put as much food into the men's bags as will go into them, and put every man's money in the mouth of his bag; 2 And put my cup, my silver cup, in the youngest one's bag, with his money. So he did as Joseph said. 3 And at dawn the men, with their asses, were sent away. 4 And when they had gone only a little way out of the town, Joseph said to the servant who was over his house, Go after them; and when you overtake them, say to them, Why have you done evil in reward for good? 5 Is not this the cup from which my lord takes wine and by which he gets knowledge of the future? Truly, you have done evil. 6 So he overtook them and said these words to them. 7 And they said to him, Why does my lord say such words as these? far be it from your servants to do such a thing: 8 See, the money which was in the mouth of our bags we gave back to you when we came again from Canaan: how then might we take silver or gold from your lord's house? 9 If it comes to light that any of your servants has done this, let him be put to death, and we will be your lord's servants. 10 And he said, Let it be as you say: he in whose bag it is seen will become my servant; and you will not be responsible. 11 Then every man quickly got his bag down and undid it. 12 And he made a search, starting with the oldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was in Benjamin's bag. 13 Then in bitter grief they put the bags on the asses again and went back to the town. 14 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house; and he was still there: and they went down on their faces before him. 15 And Joseph said, What is this thing which you have done? had you no thought that such a man as I would have power to see what is secret? 16 And Judah said, What are we to say to my lord? how may we put ourselves right in his eyes? God has made clear the sin of your servants: now we are in your hands, we and the man in whose bag your cup was seen. 17 Then he said, Far be it from me to do so: but the man who had my cup will be my servant; and you may go back to your father in peace.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 44:1-17
Commentary on Genesis 44:1-17
(Read Genesis 44:1-17)
Joseph tried how his brethren felt towards Benjamin. Had they envied and hated the other son of Rachel as they had hated him, and if they had the same want of feeling towards their father Jacob as heretofore, they would now have shown it. When the cup was found upon Benjamin, they would have a pretext for leaving him to be a slave. But we cannot judge what men are now, by what they have been formerly; nor what they will do, by what they have done. The steward charged them with being ungrateful, rewarding evil for good; with folly, in taking away the cup of daily use, which would soon be missed, and diligent search made for it; for so it may be read, Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, as having a particular fondness for it, and for which he would search thoroughly? Or, By which, leaving it carelessly at your table, he would make trial whether you were honest men or not? They throw themselves upon Joseph's mercy, and acknowledge the righteousness of God, perhaps thinking of the injury they had formerly done to Joseph, for which they thought God was now reckoning with them. Even in afflictions wherein we believe ourselves wronged by men, we must own that God is righteous, and finds out our sin.