seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 44:44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.
3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’”
6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that! 8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”
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.
3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’”
6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that! 8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”
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.
I know Joseph isn't done with them. He's got to get Jacob [Israel] to Egypt somehow. He knows Jacob [Israel] loved Rachel deeply. Rachel was Joseph and Benjamin's mother. He knows how Jacob [Israel] favored him, so he must favor Benjamin as well.
Joseph also knew that when he jailed Simeon in order to get them to come back for him. It hadn't worked too well. Jacob [Israel] waited until they were running out of food before sending Benjamin [the ransom]. Jacob [Israel] might not live that long, right?
So, Joseph put two and two together and knew that the only way to get Jacob [Israel] to Egypt was through Benjamin.
That said.... the commentaries go on and on about the cup itself. Here's what studylight.org says.
We know from other sources that ancients did use sacred cups as divination devices. It is possible Joseph did also, because there was not yet specific revelation from God that such a practice was forbidden. Yet, it was not Joseph who said he used the cup for divination, but his servant, who may have wrongly assumed Josephs spiritual insight and wisdom were more due to this cup than to his relationship with the living God.
Bible-commentaries.com explains how it worked.
Joseph's final test is very simple, but clever. He wants to know what his brothers' reaction would be if Benjamin would be prevented from returning with them. In order to perform this test he orders his silver cup to be hidden in Benjamin's grain bag. Commentaries make quite a bit of this silver cup. It was not a regular drinking cup, but a larger size goblet used for divination. The Pulpit Commentary quotes a Bible scholar, Kalisch, as follows: "Small pieces of gold or silver, together with precious stones, marked with strange figures and signs, were thrown into the vessel; the latter was then supposed to give the answer either by intelligible words, or by pointing to some of the characters on the precious stones, or in some other more mysterious manner. Sometimes the goblet was filled with pure water, upon which the sun was allowed to play; and the figures which were thus formed, or which a lively imagination fancied it saw, were interpreted as the desired omen."
Although this kind of divination was widely practiced in ancient times (and it experiences a revival in our time), there is no indication that Joseph actually indulged in it. We have learned to regard the practice as being linked to demons and as such incompatible with faith in God. Although the boundaries between light and darkness may have been less clearly drawn in ancient Egypt it seems doubtful that Joseph, who knew YHWH and who was so obviously used by God, would have been able to live in both spiritual realms at the same time. This does not mean that he would not be able to use the goblet as a pretext in dealing with his brothers. It is obvious that they knew what the vessel stood for and what the consequences would be for anyone who would try to steal such a thing.
Although this kind of divination was widely practiced in ancient times (and it experiences a revival in our time), there is no indication that Joseph actually indulged in it. We have learned to regard the practice as being linked to demons and as such incompatible with faith in God. Although the boundaries between light and darkness may have been less clearly drawn in ancient Egypt it seems doubtful that Joseph, who knew YHWH and who was so obviously used by God, would have been able to live in both spiritual realms at the same time. This does not mean that he would not be able to use the goblet as a pretext in dealing with his brothers. It is obvious that they knew what the vessel stood for and what the consequences would be for anyone who would try to steal such a thing.
I guess it's like reading tea leaves or using one of those oiji boards. That's pretty scary, right? If these men keep tearing their clothes, they won't have any to wear!
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