Genesis 44:1 - Meaning and Application

Joseph piles more kindness on his brothers. He fills their sacks, sends back their money, and sends them away with glad hearts, yet he also puts them through another test. In this way, God often humbles the people he loves, even while he loads them with gifts.

Joseph told his steward to put a fine silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. It was probably a cup Joseph used at his own table when he ate with them. This would make it look as if Benjamin had stolen it from the table and hidden it in his sack after the grain was given to him. If Benjamin had really stolen it, that would have been a very base act of dishonesty and ingratitude. If Joseph had truly meant to trap him, that would have been cruel and oppressive. But in the end, no real harm was done, and no harm was intended by either side.

Notice how the supposed thieves were chased and arrested on suspicion of stealing a silver cup. The steward accused them of returning evil for good. He also called them foolish, because they had taken a cup used every day and one that would quickly be missed, so a careful search would surely follow. The meaning may be, “Is not this the cup my lord drinks from, because he especially likes it, and the one he will search for thoroughly?” (Genesis 44:5). Or it may mean, “By leaving it carelessly on your table, he was testing whether you were honest men.”

Next, see how they defended themselves. They made a serious protest of their innocence and their disgust at such a wicked act (Genesis 44:7). They also pointed to their honesty by reminding him that they had brought the money back (Genesis 44:8). Then they offered to accept the harshest punishment if they were found guilty (Genesis 44:9, Genesis 44:10).

Then the charge was fixed on Benjamin. The cup was found in his sack, the one brother Joseph had shown special kindness to. Benjamin, no doubt, was ready to deny under oath that he had taken it. He was probably no more suspicious than any of the others. But when the evidence seems so plain, there is no use arguing. The cup was found in his possession. They did not dare question Joseph’s justice or even suggest that maybe the same person who put their money in their sack mouths had also put the cup there. Instead, they threw themselves on Joseph’s mercy.

Now comes their humble surrender (Genesis 44:16). First, they admit God’s righteousness: “God has found out the sin of your servants.” They may have been thinking of the wrong they had once done to Joseph, and they believed God was now bringing it back to them. Even when we think people have treated us wrongly, we must still admit that God is right and that he has found our sin.

Second, they give themselves up as prisoners to Joseph: “We are my lord’s servants.” In this way, Joseph’s dreams were fulfilled to the fullest. Their many bows could have been seen as mere politeness, the sort of thing strangers might do. But they had once twisted his dream into a proud challenge, “Will you really reign over us?” (Genesis 37:8). Now that meaning is fulfilled. They own themselves his servants. Since they had once understood the dream that way in jealousy, that is how it comes true for them.

Joseph then, with an appearance of justice, says that only Benjamin should stay in bondage and the others should go free. Why should anyone suffer except the guilty? He may have meant to test Benjamin’s spirit, to see whether he could bear trouble calmly and wisely, like a good man should. Joseph himself had once been falsely accused and had suffered hard things, yet he kept control of himself. More likely, he was testing how his brothers felt about Benjamin and about their father. If they had gone away without him, Joseph would likely have soon freed and honored Benjamin, and he would have sent word to Jacob. The others, though, would have fairly suffered for their hard hearts.

But they proved better toward Benjamin than Joseph feared. We cannot judge people only by what they have been in the past, or by what they will do based on what they have already done. Time and experience may make people wiser and better. The men who once sold Joseph would not now abandon Benjamin. The worst can change for the better in time.