Benjamin and the Silver Cup
Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack. Gen 42:25Gen 43:16Gen 24:2Gen 43:19Gen 43:2Isa 3:1 Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” 2Co 8:8Deu 13:3Deu 8:16Deu 8:2Gen 42:15-16Gen 42:20Gen 43:32Mat 10:16
So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 1 Jhn 10:32Psa 35:121Sa 24:17Deu 2:16Pro 17:13Psa 109:52Ch 20:11 Is this not the cup 2my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’” 2Ki 21:6Gen 30:27Lev 19:26Deu 18:10-14Gen 44:151Ki 20:33
When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing. Gen 38:16-182Ki 8:132Sa 20:20Ecc 7:1Gen 34:25-31Gen 35:22Gen 37:18-32Heb 13:18 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? Deu 5:19Exo 20:15Gen 42:21Gen 42:27Gen 42:35Gen 43:12Gen 43:21-22Gen 44:7 If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.” Gen 31:32Act 25:11Gen 43:18Gen 44:16Job 31:38-40Psa 7:3-5
“As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.” Exo 22:3Gen 44:17Gen 44:33Mat 18:24-25
So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Gen 42:36-38Gen 43:14Gen 43:33Gen 44:2Gen 44:26-32 Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city. 2Sa 1:112Sa 1:22Sa 13:19Gen 37:29-34Num 14:6
When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him. Gen 43:16Gen 43:25Gen 50:18Php 2:10-11Gen 37:7-10
“What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?” Gen 44:4-5Gen 21:26Gen 3:13Gen 39:8Exo 32:1Gen 4:10
“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.” Gen 44:9Dan 9:7Luk 12:2Num 32:23Act 2:37Deu 25:1Ezr 9:10Ezr 9:15
But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.” 2Sa 23:3Gen 18:25Gen 26:29Gen 37:32-33Gen 42:18Pro 17:15Psa 75:2
Judah Pleads for Benjamin
Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself. Exo 32:22Gen 18:30Gen 41:40Gen 18:32Gen 41:442Sa 14:12Act 2:29Dan 3:15 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ Gen 43:7Gen 42:7-10Gen 43:29
And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’ Gen 37:3Gen 42:38Gen 35:18Gen 37:19Gen 37:33-35Gen 42:13Gen 42:36Gen 43:7-8
Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’ Gen 42:15Gen 42:20Amo 9:4Gen 43:29Jer 24:6Jer 40:4
So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’ Gen 42:38Gen 44:30
But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’ Gen 43:3Gen 43:5Gen 42:15-20
Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him. Gen 42:29-34
Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’ Gen 43:2Gen 43:5
But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’ Gen 43:4-5Luk 11:7
And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. Gen 46:19Gen 30:22-25Gen 35:16-18Gen 29:18-21Gen 29:28 When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. Gen 37:33Gen 37:13-14Gen 42:36Gen 42:38 Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ Gen 42:38Gen 43:14Deu 31:17Gen 42:36Gen 44:31Psa 88:3-4
So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life, 1Sa 18:11Sa 25:292Sa 18:33Gen 44:17Gen 44:31Gen 44:34 sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. Gen 44:29Gen 37:351Sa 22:221Sa 4:17-181Th 4:132Co 7:10Gen 37:26-27 Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’ Gen 43:16Gen 43:8-9
Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers. 1Jn 3:16Exo 32:32Heb 7:22Rom 5:7-10Rom 9:3 For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.” Est 8:61Sa 2:33-342Ch 34:28Exo 18:8Job 31:29Psa 116:3Psa 119:143Jer 52:10-11