Genesis 44

Genesis 44:1-17

1. We have Joseph’s innocent desire to try his brethren’s regard for Benjamin, as well as the sincerity of their repentance for what they had done against him, ver. 1—17. 2. The good success of the experiment, ver. 18—34.

2. 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. 2. 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. 3. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their allies. 4. 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? 5. Is not this it in which my lord drinketh? and whereby indeed he divinct? ye have done evil in so doing. 6. ¶ And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. 7. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing. 8. Behold the money which we found in our sack’s 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? 9. With whom favour of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bond-men. 10. 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. 11. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. 12. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13. Then they rent their clothes, and lashed every man his ass, and returned to the city. 14. ¶ And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house (for he was yet there) and they fell before him on the ground. 15. 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? 16. 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. 17. 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.

After their hospitable entertainment, their fears are over, their beasts loaded, and home they are travelling, little suspecting the danger which forms to threaten them. An express arrives, charges them with a theft, as ungrateful as bare-faced; they deny it solemnly; search is made, the cup is found

Before Christ found on Benjamin, and he is arrested; they dare not leave

their brother, nor make any plea to excuse him. They regard Govr’s hand in the assiduum, as just so punishing them for former time, and return, to yield themselves up servants to Joseph. Thus (1.) They most eminently fulfilled their own prediction, shall thus have detestive war, as? They are not only fatuers for davours, but bondmen for life. (2.) They shrewd that regard for Benjamin, and that concern for Jacob, which Joseph withed. Now, Though once had, it may not be always so. God just change man’s hearts, and make them the reverse of what they have been. 18. ¶ Then Judah came near unto him, and said, O my lord, let thy servants, 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. 19. My lord afford his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? 20. 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. 21. And thou saidit unto thy servants, ‘Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father, his father would die. 23. And thou saidit unto thy servants, ‘Except your youngest brother come down with you, you shall see my face no more. 24. And it came to pass, when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25. And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. 26. 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. 27. And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that ‘my wife bare me two feet. 28. And the one went out from me, and I said, ‘Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since. 29. And if ye take this also from me, and ‘I mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave. 30. 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) 31. 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 grey hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32. For thy servant became furety for the lad unto my father, saying, ‘If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bare the blame to my father for ever. 33. 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. 34. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? let’s peradventure I see the evil that shall I come on my father. 9. 18—34. Bitter was the distress that now distracted their mind. What shall they say? To confess the charge, is to acknowledge guilt they did not believe; to deny it, were full more dangerous, as a reduction on the governor’s justice. In the demons, Judah, as most engaged, with rhetoric, such as distress and nature might, addresses with humbled tabulation, the hypnotist offended ruler; and yields with arguments, that I doubt not, since Joseph’s bosom with deeper agitation, than even Judah left. Benjamin’s youth, the only son of a beloved mother; another brother he had, but dead, the aged father’s life is bound up in the darling boy; it was at his command he was brought with reluctance, marched from his father: should they return without him, death would naturally arise the good old man, and they be speedily to it; himself had become furety for the lad, and boys now are exchange; himself the bondman, if Benjamin might be lost. The thought of his father’s sorrow occurs upon him; he felt, never think of seeing his face without the lad: thus calls himself upon the mercy of the judge, and would with terrible furtiness to receive that sentence, on which the hypnotist or misery of Jacob’s family depended. Now, (1.) Every good child will make his parents comfort one great bufanch of his life. (2.) When we address a ruler, title and berious are his due. (3.) Lies may be told, as this of Joseph’s death, till the maker of them believes them true.