Genesis 44

Joseph Tests His Brothers

¹He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth.

²Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

³As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

⁴When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?

⁵Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”

⁶He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

⁷They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!

⁸Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?

⁹With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

¹⁰He said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.”

¹¹Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

¹²He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

¹³Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.

¹⁴Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.

¹⁵Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”

¹⁶Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”

¹⁷He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

¹⁸Then Judah came near to him, and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh.

¹⁹My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

²⁰We said to 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 loves him.’

²¹You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’

²²We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

²³You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’

²⁴When we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

²⁵Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’

²⁶We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man’s face, unless our youngest brother is with us.’

²⁷Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.

²⁸One went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since.

²⁹If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’

³⁰Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’s life;

³¹it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol.

³²For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.’

³³Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up with his brothers.

³⁴For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will come on my father.”

Previous Genesis 43

Next Genesis 45

Joseph orchestrates a final test of his brothers by secretly placing his silver cup in Benjamin's sack, then accusing them of theft when they attempt to leave Egypt. When the cup is discovered, the brothers face the devastating prospect of Benjamin becoming Joseph's slave. Judah steps forward with an impassioned plea, offering to take Benjamin's place and recounting their father Jacob's deep love for his youngest son, demonstrating the brothers' transformation from the jealous men who once sold Joseph into slavery.

Context

This chapter represents the climactic test in Joseph's extended examination of his brothers' character, setting up the emotional revelation of his identity in chapter 45.

Key Themes

Outline

1-5
The Silver Cup Planted Joseph secretly places his divination cup in Benjamin's sack and sends his steward to pursue the brothers with accusations of theft.
6-13
The Brothers Accused and Searched The brothers protest their innocence and rashly offer their lives as surety, but the cup is found in Benjamin's possession.
14-17
Return and Judgment The brothers return in anguish to Joseph, who declares that only Benjamin will remain as his slave while the others may go free.
18-34
Judah's Intercession Judah delivers an eloquent plea recounting their family history and offering to take Benjamin's place to spare their father's life.

Joseph Tests His Brothers

44:1–44:34

narrative narration urgent

Joseph tests his brothers by planting his silver cup in Benjamin's sack, leading to their arrest and Judah's impassioned plea to spare Benjamin and take him as a slave instead.

person_contrast

Judah's offer to become a slave instead of Benjamin reverses his earlier betrayal of Joseph, transforming him from the brother who sold Joseph into slavery into one willing to sacrifice his own freedom.

Insight Character Study

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Genesis 44:1 1 reference

Lexicals 1

Genesis 43:22 Lexical

We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”

Genesis 44

Joseph Tests His Brothers

Joseph Tests His Brothers

Insights

Cross-References

Genesis 44:1 1 reference

Genesis 44:2 2 references

Genesis 44:16 1 reference

Genesis 44:18 5 references

Genesis 44:19 2 references

Genesis 44:25 1 reference

Genesis 44:29 3 references

Genesis 44:31 3 references

Genesis 44:33 1 reference

Interlinear

Historical Context