Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Genesis 44:1 - 44:13

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Genesis 44:1 - 44:13


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The Test

v. 1. 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. The feast which Joseph had arranged may have lasted a large part of the afternoon. At its conclusion the chief steward received orders to have the sacks of the strangers filled, but with very good measure. The return of the money in this case did not belong to the test but inasmuch as it was intended to strengthen the general impression.

v. 2. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.
The placing of this cup in Benjamin's sack had the object to concentrate the test upon his person, to bring his person into the foreground. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. Everything having been prepared according to Joseph's plans, the brothers spent the night in the Egyptian city.

v. 3. As soon as the morning was light,
with the earliest dawn, the men were sent away, they and their asses, they were dismissed without any intimation of the surprise in store for them.

v. 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
(he was to pursue until he did overtake them), say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Having been received and feasted by Joseph in such a royal manner, had they been so mean and treacherous as to become guilty of theft? The haste was necessary lest some one of the brothers open his sack and they all return of their own free will.

v. 5. Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth?
in order to play his role as Egyptian ruler to the end, Joseph has the steward represent the matter as though he practiced hydromancy, that is, presumed to predict future events from the appearance of the liquid contents of his cup, also to expose hidden things. Ye have done evil in so doing. They were flatly to be accused of the theft, the subsequent discovery of the cup being intended to confirm the impression of Joseph's supernatural wisdom.

v. 6. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words,
in bold accusation and with well-feigned anger.

v. 7. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing.
In the consciousness of their innocence the brothers repel the charge with horror: Far be it from thy servants, the idea never entered our minds.

v. 8. Behold, the money which we found in our sacks' mouths we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan;
this surely was proof of their honesty; how, then, should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

v. 9. With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
That made the denial as vigorous as could be expected from innocent men.

v. 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.
The chief steward accepted their proposal, but with the modification which agreed with Joseph's object in the trial, namely, to find out how the brothers were disposed toward Benjamin, especially now that he had been honored so signally by Joseph.

v. 11. Then they speedily,
as their outraged feelings of innocence demanded, took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. They were absolutely certain that the cup would not be found.

v. 12. And he,
the chief steward, searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest, partly to hide his own share in the scheme, partly to make the climax all the more effective. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. This was an outcome which not one of them had expected, their feeling of relief having grown as one sack after another had not yielded the cup.

v. 13. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
They were overcome with terror, fear, and grief, and it was with a feeling of the greatest dejection that they turned back to the city which they had left with such light hearts a few hours before.