Genesis 44

CHAPTER 44THEME: Joseph sends his brothers home; Judah volunteers to take Benjamin’s placeAgain, we have a wonderful and dramatic chapter before us. Joseph has something else up his sleeve when he sends his brothers away with the grain. He tests his brothers relative to their relationship and their affection to Benjamin and their father. Remember, they had sold him into slavery. Have they changed? Will they be willing to let Benjamin go into slavery to save themselves? He needs to satisfy his mind in this regard before he makes himself known to them. The test he uses here would give him absolute proof that his brothers would not repeat the episode that he had experienced at their hands. Judah acts as the spokesman for the group, and he is brought into a wonderful picture here. He is willing to take the place of Benjamin, and his eloquent defense of Benjamin is one of the most moving passages in the Bible.

Genesis 44:1

JOSEPH SENDS BROTHERS HOMEJoseph sends them away, and the brothers start out, thinking everything is all right. They have no idea of the cup in the sack of Benjamin. But the steward of Joseph’s house comes after them with specific instructions. When the brothers get out a little way, they are overtaken. Here comes a whole troop after them, and they are accused of taking the cup belonging to Joseph.

Genesis 44:6

Note that the steward says that Joseph uses this cup for “divining.” Remember that Joseph was a prophet, and he was able to foretell the future. We know that is so because he interpreted the dreams of the baker, the butler, and of Pharaoh. He may have used this cup, or maybe that was part of the ruse that he used. We must understand that his gift of prophecy was a gift that God had given him, and this was before there was any written revelation. We are not to get a cup and look at tea leaves, nor are we to watch the horoscopethat is all absolute nonsense. It reveals the sad spiritual condition of people today when they turn to that sort of thing. Joseph had a gift. It was not in the cup. His gift was from God.

Genesis 44:8

They were so sure that none of them had the cup.

Genesis 44:10

Of course, Joseph had instructed his steward to put the cup in Benjamin’s sack.

Genesis 44:13

They “rent” or tore their clothes as a gesture of extreme distress. They all turned around to go back. They are not going home without Benjamin, you may be sure of that. Here they fall on the ground before Joseph again. This time it is in dismay and in agony

Genesis 44:16

JUDAH VOLUNTEERS TO TAKE BENJAMIN’S PLACEJudah comes to the front, and the nobility of this man really stands out now. Remember it is from the tribe of Judah that the Saviour is to come. This man makes one of the finest speeches ever recorded. He makes a full confession that it is because of their sin that this has come upon them. Joseph wants to test them now in regard to their love for their brother. He says that Benjamin is the guilty one; so it is Benjamin who must stay. They had sold him into slavery; now he says, “Just leave Benjamin here, and he can be my slave. He is the guilty one. The rest of you can go home.” Now listen to Judah

Genesis 44:18

You can see the position which Joseph occupies in Egypt.

Genesis 44:19

Judah here in this statement is recounting what has happened and the feelings of their father. Actually, the father had been deceived, and Joseph can see that now. He now knows exactly what the brothers told their father had happened to him so long ago. I believe that this is the first time any one of them has said that much. They had said previously that he “was not,” meaning that he was dead. We can see something else. Jacob is growing in grace, but he hasn’t arrived. Instead of trusting the Lord, he is leaning on this boy Benjamin. If anything had happened to Benjamin, it would have killed himhe would have gone down into his grave, sorrowing. There are Christians today who reveal a very wonderful faith in God at the time when death comes to a loved one. Others actually collapse when this happens. I don’t care how much you love a member of your family, friend, if you both are children of God, you know you are going to see each other again someday. The one walking by faith is not going to collapse at a time like that. Therefore, we can recognize that Jacob has not yet arrived. Although he is growing in grace, he still does not have a complete trust in God.

Genesis 44:30

You notice the concern that Judah has here for old Jacob. Judah is the spokesman for the group. I think any one of the other brothers would have made this same statement.

Genesis 44:32

Again, Judah is the spokesman for the group, and any one of them would have offered himself. Joseph tests his brothers, and they all pass the test. Rather than to see Benjamin go into slavery, they are willing to take his place. My friend, later on in history there came One in the line of Judah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who bore the penalty for the guilty. “…God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom_5:8). Christ took the place of the guilty.