Testing The Waters

Genesis 44:1-45:1

For seventeen years, Joseph had lived with the jealousy and favoritism of Jacobs family. Then he spent twenty two years isolated from them because of that jealousy. Before he dared renew his relationship with them, he wanted to know if their attitudes had changed so he could protect himself. He devised a plan to see if they were still as selfish as they had been.

“And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.” (Genesis 44:1-6)

They had been really concerned about finding their money in their sacks the first time, when Joseph had just wanted them to have the food without taking their money. He decided to do the same thing again, but to imply they had discovered the missing money. In addition, his personal silver cup was to be included in Benjamin’s sack.

Joseph and Benjamin’s mother had been Jacob’s favorite wife and her two sons had been favored as a result. The other boys had planned to murder Joseph because of their jealousy, but when the opportunity presented, sold him as a slave instead. By observing how they reacted to the thought of getting rid of Benjamin, he could see whether they were still as jealous as they had been. Their attitude would affect how he revealed himself. His servant followed Joseph’s instructions.

“And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.

And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.” (Genesis 44:7-10)

Sure of their innocence, the brothers reminded the servant of their honesty in bringing back the original money when they found it and offered to let him search their bags, promising that if it were found, the one who had it would remain behind as a servant.

“Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? ” (Genesis 44:11-15)

When the cup was discovered in Benjamin’s sack, the brothers did not meekly hand him over and go their way, happy to be rid of their father’s favorite. Instead they went back to the city to try to save him. There had been a dramatic change.

“And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.” (Genesis 44:16-17)

With Judah as spokesman, they threw themselves on the mercy of Joseph, offering to all be his servants, hoping he’d be willing to forgive and forget since he had the cup and money back. When he refused, demanding that Benjamin be punished, Judah made a personal offer.

“Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.

And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.

And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.” (Genesis 44:18-34)

Judah had been the one who originally suggested selling Joseph as a slave. He had personally guaranteed to take care of Benjamin. Now he volunteered to take Benjamin’s place as a slave to keep from grieving his father any more. For more than twenty years he and his brothers had lived with the guilt for what they had done to Joseph and the sorrow it caused Jacob, even referring to it in verse 16. He was not willing to cause any more sorrow or live with any more guilt. It was a total reversal of attitude, and destroyed all Joseph‘s defenses.

“Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him;…” (Genesis 45:1)