GENESIS LESSON 61


     In the last lesson, Joseph saw his brother, Benjamin, for the
first time in many years. This lesson will pick in chapter 44, verse 1
of Genesis.
     Genesis 44:1 "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."
     Genesis 44:2 "And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth
of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word
that Joseph had spoken."

     Joseph was so happy to see his brother, and he did this little
trick to the brothers, so that he would have an excuse to keep Benjamin
with him. Joseph wanted to bless his family with all these provisions,
but he, also, wanted to keep Benjamin. He did not know of the oaths
these brothers had made to their father about bringing the boy back.

     Genesis 44:3 "As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent
away, they and their asses."
     Genesis 44:4 "[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, say unto them, Wherefore have
ye rewarded evil for good?"
     Genesis 44:5 "[Is] not this [it] in which my lord drinketh, and
whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing."

     This steward of Joseph's, had helped Joseph set this trap for his
brothers. The steward knew about the plot. It was he who gave chase
and caught Joseph's brothers. He accused them of stealing.

     A silver cup, or chalice, was used by the Egyptians for divining,
calling on an evil spirit for advise. Whether Joseph actually did type
of false religion is not answered here. I would have to believe that
this statement is just given to make Joseph's brothers think that
Joseph was an Egyptian. A follower of the true God, and especially one
of Joseph"s stature, would not divine a cup. Joseph's steward had
accused them of stealing it from his master. He was, probably, the one
who encouraged them not to worry. Now, he was accusing them of taking
the good things the governor had done and, in return, doing only evil to
him. The literal accusation was, why did you steal my silver goblet?

     Genesis 44:6  "And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these
same words."
     Genesis 44:7 "And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord
these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this
thing:"
     Genesis 44:8 "Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks'
mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then
should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?"
     Genesis 44:9 "With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both
let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen."

     The steward caught them and accused them. They  were so sure that
they had not stolen, that they spoke a terrible punishment, if the
goods were found in their possession. The brothers said, if we had
wanted to steal, we wouldn't have brought the money back that we found
in our sacks last time. You should never make rash promises you can't
keep. The brothers spoke death to Benjamin, and hard labor to
themselves.

     Genesis 44:10 "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."
     Genesis 44:11 "Then they speedily took down every man his sack to
the ground, and opened every man his sack."
     Genesis 44:12 "And he searched, [and] began at the eldest, and
left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack."
     Genesis 44:13 "Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man
his ass, and returned to the city."

     They were so confident that they didn't have it, They quickly
opened the sacks for inspection. When it was found that Benjamin had
the cup, the brothers tore their clothes in mourning. They came back
with Benjamin. They had made hard promises to Jacob that they would
bring the boy home again. They were as good as dead themselves.

     Genesis 44:14  "And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's
house; for he [was] yet there: and they fell before him on the
ground."

     Now, they were lying face down before Joseph in absolute
submission. Last time they only bowed.

     Genesis 44:15 "And Joseph said unto them, What deed [is] this
that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly
divine?"

     Here, again, I do not believe Joseph divined. I think he was still
trying to make them believe he was an Egyptian.

     Genesis 44:16 "And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord?
what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found
out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we [are] my lord's servants,
both we, and [he] also with whom the cup is found."

     Judah, for the first time, had admitted to Joseph that he and his
brothers had truly sinned. They had not stolen the cup and money from
Joseph, but they had stolen his freedom and his homeland. They accepted
this as punishment from God for selling Joseph.

     Genesis 44:17 "And he said, God forbid that I should do so: [but]
the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as
for you, get you up in peace unto your father."

     Joseph just wanted to keep Benjamin. He told them they could go on
home.

     Genesis 44:18  "Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my
lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears,
and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou [art] even
as Pharaoh."

     This pleading of Judah was for Benjamin and for their father.
Judah told Joseph that he had the power to pardon Benjamin, if he
would.

     Genesis 44:19 "My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a
father, or a brother?"
     Genesis 44:20 "And we said unto 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 loveth him."
     Genesis 44:21 "And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down
unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him."
     Genesis 44:22 "And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his
father: for [if] he should leave his father, [his father] would die."
    Genesis 44:23 "And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your
youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more."
     Genesis 44:24 "And it came to pass when we came up unto thy
servant my father, we told him the words of my lord."
     Genesis 44:25 "And our father said, Go again, [and] buy us a
little food."
     Genesis 44:26 "And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest
brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's
face, except our youngest brother [be] with us."
     Genesis 44:27 "And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know
that my wife bare me two [sons]:"
     Genesis 44:28 "And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely
he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:"
     Genesis 44:29 "And if ye take this also from me, and mischief
befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the
grave."
     Genesis 44:30 "Now therefore when I come to thy servant my
father, and the lad [be] not with us; seeing that his life is bound up
in the lad's life;"
     Genesis 44:31 "It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad
[is] not [with us], that he will die: and thy servants shall bring
down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the
grave."

     This plea of Judah's had certainly told the story truthfully. He
had eloquently stated his case to this ruler: calling himself Joseph's
servant every few words. Truly this had to touch Joseph's heart.
Joseph would not want to harm his father, Jacob, in any way. Judah
continued his plea in the new few verses.

     Genesis 44:32 "For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my
father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the
blame to my father for ever."
     Genesis 44:33 "Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide
instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with
his brethren."
     Genesis 44:34 "For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad
[be] not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on
my father."

     The last part of the plea was the most touching. Judah was asking
to be the substitute for the boy. Judah told Joseph that it would be
easier to be a servant the rest of his life than to live with the
knowledge that he had brought grief on his father to kill him. This
plea had to touch Joseph's heart, Joseph would forgive them all, just
as Christ forgave all of us.

     Chapter 45 of Genesis will be our next lesson.









































                             Questions 61


1.  What two things did Joseph tell his steward to put in his brothers
    sack?
2.  What was the steward to do with Joseph's cup?
3.  What was the cup made of?
4.  Joseph wanted to help his family, but what else does he want?
5.  When did the brothers leave?
6.  How far had they gone when Joseph sent his steward after them?
7.  What was the steward to say to them?
8.  What two things was the steward to tell?
9.  Who set this trap?
10. Why was this story about the cup given?
11. What was the literal accusation?
12. What did the brothers say was to be done to the one who the cup
    was found with?
13. What thing had these brothers spoken on themselves?
14. How did the steward reduce the punishment?
15. What did the brothers do when they found the cup with Benjamin?
16. Where did Judah and his brothers go?
17. What did they do to win favor with Joseph?
18. Why were the brethren willing to accept punishment?
19. Who pled for Benjamin?
20. Who else was the pleading for?
21. What did Judah call himself throughout the pleading?
22. Who was to bear the blame forever?
23. What did Judah offer to be for the boy?
24. Rather than face his father, what was Judah willing to do?