16 And Judah H3063 said, H559 What shall we say H559 unto my lord? H113 what shall we speak? H1696 or how shall we clear ourselves? H6663 God H430 hath found out H4672 the iniquity H5771 of thy servants: H5650 behold, we are my lord's H113 servants, H5650 both we, and he also H1571 with whom H834 H3027 the cup H1375 is found. H4672
And Judah H3063 said H559 unto Israel H3478 his father, H1 Send H7971 the lad H5288 with me, and we will arise H6965 and go; H3212 that we may live, H2421 and not die, H4191 both we, and thou, and also our little ones. H2945 I will be surety H6148 for him; of my hand H3027 shalt thou require H1245 him: if H518 I bring H935 him not H518 unto thee, and set H3322 him before thee, H6440 then let me bear the blame H2398 for ever: H3117
And they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 We are verily H61 guilty H818 concerning our brother, H251 in that H834 we saw H7200 the anguish H6869 of his soul, H5315 when he besought H2603 us, and we would not hear; H8085 therefore is this distress H6869 come H935 upon us. And Reuben H7205 answered H6030 them, saying, H559 Spake I H559 not unto you, saying, H559 Do not sin H2398 against the child; H3206 and ye would not hear? H8085 therefore, behold, also his blood H1818 is required. H1875
And when they saw H7200 him afar off, H7350 even before he came near H7126 unto them, they conspired H5230 against him to slay H4191 him. And they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 Behold, this H1976 dreamer H1167 H2472 cometh. H935 Come H3212 now therefore, and let us slay H2026 him, and cast H7993 him into some H259 pit, H953 and we will say, H559 Some evil H7451 beast H2416 hath devoured H398 him: and we shall see H7200 what will become of his dreams. H2472 And Reuben H7205 heard H8085 it, and he delivered H5337 him out of their hands; H3027 and said, H559 Let us not kill H5221 H5315 him. And Reuben H7205 said H559 unto them, Shed H8210 no blood, H1818 but cast H7993 him into this pit H953 that is in the wilderness, H4057 and lay H7971 no hand H3027 upon him; that he might rid H5337 him out of their hands, H3027 to deliver H7725 him to his father H1 again. H7725 And it came to pass, when Joseph H3130 was come H935 unto his brethren, H251 that they stript H6584 H853 Joseph H3130 out of H854 his coat, H3801 his coat H3801 of many colours H6446 that was on him; And they took H3947 him, and cast H7993 him into a pit: H953 and the pit H953 was empty, H7386 there was no water H4325 in it. And they sat down H3427 to eat H398 bread: H3899 and they lifted up H5375 their eyes H5869 and looked, H7200 and, behold, a company H736 of Ishmeelites H3459 came H935 from Gilead H1568 with their camels H1581 bearing H5375 spicery H5219 and balm H6875 and myrrh, H3910 going H1980 to carry it down H3381 to Egypt. H4714 And Judah H3063 said H559 unto his brethren, H251 What profit H1215 is it if we slay H2026 our brother, H251 and conceal H3680 his blood? H1818 Come, H3212 and let us sell H4376 him to the Ishmeelites, H3459 and let not our hand H3027 be upon him; for he is our brother H251 and our flesh. H1320 And his brethren H251 were content. H8085 Then there passed H5674 by Midianites H4084 merchantmen; H582 H5503 and they drew H4900 and lifted up H5927 Joseph H3130 out of the pit, H953 and sold H4376 Joseph H3130 to the Ishmeelites H3459 for twenty H6242 pieces of silver: H3701 and they brought H935 Joseph H3130 into Egypt. H4714
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 44
Commentary on Genesis 44 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 44
Ge 44:1-34. Policy to Stay His Brethren.
1. And Joseph commanded the steward—The design of putting the cup into the sack of Benjamin was obviously to bring that young man into a situation of difficulty or danger, in order thereby to discover how far the brotherly feelings of the rest would be roused to sympathize with his distress and stimulate their exertions in procuring his deliverance. But for what purpose was the money restored? It was done, in the first instance, from kindly feelings to his father; but another and further design seems to have been the prevention of any injurious impressions as to the character of Benjamin. The discovery of the cup in his possession, if there had been nothing else to judge by, might have fastened a painful suspicion of guilt on the youngest brother; but the sight of the money in each man's sack would lead all to the same conclusion, that Benjamin was just as innocent as themselves, although the additional circumstance of the cup being found in his sack would bring him into greater trouble and danger.
2. put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth—It was a large goblet, as the original denotes, highly valued by its owner, on account of its costly material or its elegant finish and which had probably graced his table at the sumptuous entertainment of the previous day.
3. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away—They commenced their homeward journey at early dawn (see on Ge 18:2); and it may be readily supposed in high spirits, after so happy an issue from all their troubles and anxieties.
4. When they were gone out of the city … Joseph said unto his steward—They were brought to a sudden halt by the stunning intelligence that an article of rare value was missing from the governor's house. It was a silver cup; so strong suspicions were entertained against them that a special messenger was despatched to search them.
5. Is not this it in which my lord drinketh—not only kept for the governor's personal use, but whereby he divines. Divination by cups, to ascertain the course of futurity, was one of the prevalent superstitions of ancient Egypt, as it is of Eastern countries still. It is not likely that Joseph, a pious believer in the true God, would have addicted himself to this superstitious practice. But he might have availed himself of that popular notion to carry out the successful execution of his stratagem for the last decisive trial of his brethren.
6, 7. he overtook them, and he spake … these words—The steward's words must have come upon them like a thunderbolt, and one of their most predominant feelings must have been the humiliating and galling sense of being made so often objects of suspicion. Protesting their innocence, they invited a search. The challenge was accepted [Ge 44:10, 11]. Beginning with the eldest, every sack was examined, and the cup being found in Benjamin's [Ge 44:12], they all returned in an indescribable agony of mind to the house of the governor [Ge 44:13], throwing themselves at his feet [Ge 44:14], with the remarkable confession, "God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants" [Ge 44:16].
16-34. Judah said, What shall we say?—This address needs no comment—consisting at first of short, broken sentences, as if, under the overwhelming force of the speaker's emotions, his utterance were choked, it becomes more free and copious by the effort of speaking, as he proceeds. Every word finds its way to the heart; and it may well be imagined that Benjamin, who stood there speechless like a victim about to be laid on the altar, when he heard the magnanimous offer of Judah to submit to slavery for his ransom, would be bound by a lifelong gratitude to his generous brother, a tie that seems to have become hereditary in his tribe. Joseph's behavior must not be viewed from any single point, or in separate parts, but as a whole—a well-thought, deep-laid, closely connected plan; and though some features of it do certainly exhibit an appearance of harshness, yet the pervading principle of his conduct was real, genuine, brotherly kindness. Read in this light, the narrative of the proceedings describes the continuous, though secret, pursuit of one end; and Joseph exhibits, in his management of the scheme, a very high order of intellect, a warm and susceptible heart, united to a judgment that exerted a complete control over his feelings—a happy invention in devising means towards the attainment of his ends and an inflexible adherence to the course, however painful, which prudence required.