seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 44:10 “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.”
11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done? Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?”
16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”
11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done? Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?”
16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”
Bible-commentaries.com was the one that told us how the cup worked. Here's some more about how the cup affected how people thought of Joseph.
The steward seems to agree with the verdict they pronounce upon themselves, but he misquotes them on purpose. In vs. 10 we read: "'Very well, then,' he said, 'let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.'" He obviously understands that Joseph's intent was to frame Benjamin, although he cannot have guessed the reason. The man only obeyed orders. He knows exactly where to look, since he hid the goblet himself in Benjamin's bag, but in order to hide the fact he goes through the motions of an elaborate search, finally discovering the stolen object.
The brothers are crushed. It is not clear whether they believe they are framed, or whether they think Benjamin actually stole to cup. They never make any attempt to clear themselves before Joseph. Joseph is still in the house, waiting for them. He receives them with the assurance that if they thought that his supernatural powers would cease, because the goblet was gone, they were wrong. He could still find out, by divination, who had stolen the cup.
It may be hard for us to get a clear picture of Joseph's position in Egypt and of the divine powers that were attributed to him. People had projected an image of Joseph that had little to do with reality. Joseph had, what we would now call, the gift of prophecy. Twice God had enabled him to explain dreams. This has given him the reputation of having the spirit of a god, who was more powerful than the spirit that ruled Egypt. There is no doubt in my mind that the Egyptians perceived the famine and the years of abundance that preceded it in the framework of a spiritual struggle in which Joseph had taken a victorious lead. We should not look at Joseph with our western eyes and our worldview in which there is no place for a spiritual power struggle.
Whether Joseph ever did anything to clear himself of the aureole that people had placed upon him, we do not know. In the account Moses gives of him, we see him as a rather levelheaded person, who has genuine emotions and who does some clear thinking. We like to think that Joseph just used the concept of magic powers in order to achieve his purpose, not necessarily the powers themselves; but we cannot be sure. Anyhow, before his brothers Joseph presents himself as the people see him: greater than life.
The brothers are crushed. It is not clear whether they believe they are framed, or whether they think Benjamin actually stole to cup. They never make any attempt to clear themselves before Joseph. Joseph is still in the house, waiting for them. He receives them with the assurance that if they thought that his supernatural powers would cease, because the goblet was gone, they were wrong. He could still find out, by divination, who had stolen the cup.
It may be hard for us to get a clear picture of Joseph's position in Egypt and of the divine powers that were attributed to him. People had projected an image of Joseph that had little to do with reality. Joseph had, what we would now call, the gift of prophecy. Twice God had enabled him to explain dreams. This has given him the reputation of having the spirit of a god, who was more powerful than the spirit that ruled Egypt. There is no doubt in my mind that the Egyptians perceived the famine and the years of abundance that preceded it in the framework of a spiritual struggle in which Joseph had taken a victorious lead. We should not look at Joseph with our western eyes and our worldview in which there is no place for a spiritual power struggle.
Whether Joseph ever did anything to clear himself of the aureole that people had placed upon him, we do not know. In the account Moses gives of him, we see him as a rather levelheaded person, who has genuine emotions and who does some clear thinking. We like to think that Joseph just used the concept of magic powers in order to achieve his purpose, not necessarily the powers themselves; but we cannot be sure. Anyhow, before his brothers Joseph presents himself as the people see him: greater than life.
The question Joseph was apparently trying to answer was "did the brothers change after the events at the cistern?".
Here's what studylight.org has to say about the brothers.
The brothers confidently stated they did not have the cup. This showed that they had a healthy trust in each other. If they did not trust each other they would have immediately wondered which brother stole the cup.
They were so confident they did not have the cup (and trusted each other so much), they declared the thief should be killed and all the others taken as slaves.
Joseph did not repeat their offer of a death sentence because he wanted no bloodshed. Joseph had a plan for agreeing with the brothers suggestion that the guilty parties be taken as slaves.
The reaction of the brothers showed that for them, this was the worst thing imaginable. Not only was the cup found among them, but that it was in Benjamins sack - their fathers favorite son, the one he worried about the most. Now Benjamin was sentenced to a life of slavery in Egypt, if not death.
When Joseph was taken as a slave the brothers allowed him to go and thought nothing of it. Now they were willing to stand with Benjamin as he faced slavery or death. This demonstrated a significant change in the heart and attitude of Josephs brothers.
They were so confident they did not have the cup (and trusted each other so much), they declared the thief should be killed and all the others taken as slaves.
Joseph did not repeat their offer of a death sentence because he wanted no bloodshed. Joseph had a plan for agreeing with the brothers suggestion that the guilty parties be taken as slaves.
The reaction of the brothers showed that for them, this was the worst thing imaginable. Not only was the cup found among them, but that it was in Benjamins sack - their fathers favorite son, the one he worried about the most. Now Benjamin was sentenced to a life of slavery in Egypt, if not death.
When Joseph was taken as a slave the brothers allowed him to go and thought nothing of it. Now they were willing to stand with Benjamin as he faced slavery or death. This demonstrated a significant change in the heart and attitude of Josephs brothers.
Oh what a pickle these brothers are in. Jacob [Israel], their father, is going to have a fit when he hears that the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Judah's sons are now in mortal danger too.... but the family back home doesn't know what's going on yet.
