THE FIRST BOOK OF

MOSES,
called
G E N E S I S

Genesis 44

1Joseph's policy to stay his brethren. 6His cup is found in Benjamin's sack. 14They are brought before Joseph. 18Judah's humble supplication to him.


1AND 1he 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.

1 Namely, Joseph.

2And put my 2cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the 3youngest, 4and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

2 This seems to have been a cup, high, large and deep, and of great value, having its name, from the roundness and height.

3 Namely, Benjamin.

4 That is, that money which he had brought to buy provision with it.

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

4And 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?

5Is not 5this it in which my lord drinketh, and 6whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

5 Namely, cup.

6 Or, whereby he shall surely try or find out, namely, what manner of men you are. Hebr. observing should observe. The Hebrew word sometimes indeed signifies to observe something by vain and unwarranted arts, thus to discover or foretell secret and hidden things, as Lev. 19:26:2 Kings 21:6, but it likewise often signifies to observe and find out things prudently, and by certain marks and evidences to trace and discover them, as Gen. 30:27; 1 Kings 20:33, and so it is taken here. Other, whereof he shall surely be informed, and so verse 15.

6¶And he overtook them, and he spake unto them 7these same words.

7 Namely, the words with which Joseph had charged him.

7And 8they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord 9these words? God forbid 10that thy servants should do according to this thing:

8 That is, one of them said, representing all; therefore it follows my lord, not our lord.

9 Hebr. after those words.

10 Hebr. from doing after this word, or, matter.

8Behold, 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?

9With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, 11both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.

11 That is, not only the thief, whoever he be, shall die, but we will all be made slaves besides. See Gen. 43:18. Thus, not being conscious of any guilt, they speak more confidently, than again carefully, nor suspecting of any trick or deceit that might have been put upon them, as formerly the money was conveyed into their sacks; nor weighing or considering what grief might seize upon their father by such a case.

10And he said, 12Now also let it be 13according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be 14blameless.

12 Other, This is now also just, etc.

13 Understand this concerning the search to be made; for, the punishment, which they had made themselves liable to, he moderates.

14 That is, free from punishment, and may return home without being hindered. See Exod. 20:7; 34:7.

11Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

12And he searched, and 15began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

15 This he did on purpose to hold them the longer in pain about the issue, and to be the less suspected by them; for he knew well enough where he should find the cup, having put it in himself.

13Then they 16rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

16 Namely, for grief over the trespass which Benjamin seemed to have committed, and for fear as well of that punishment, which Joseph was likely to inflict on him, as of the heaviness which hereby would happen upon their father; of rending of garments, see Gen. 37 on verse 29.

14¶And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for 17he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

17 Namely, Joseph, waiting for the success and issue of this affair.

15And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly 18divine?

18 See on verse 5.

16And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or 19how shall we clear ourselves? God hath 20found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also 21with whom the cup is found.

19 Other, wherewith shall we justify ourselves? The Hebrew verb here used, (as likewise another coming from the same root) signifies to count, and speak (one) free, and declare him guiltless, after what manner a person arraigned for a certain misdeed, is pronounced clear, and acquitted by the judge. See this signification, Exod. 23:7; Deut. 25:1; Psalm 51:4: Prov. 17:15; Isa. 5:23; compare Mat. 11:19; Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; 3:8, etc.

20 That is, He has observed the same by His providence, and brought it to light now. Understand this not of the present deed, wherein they knew themselves not guilty, but of some other for which their conscience smarted them, and which God now punishes.

21 That is, in whose hand.

17And 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 22peace unto your father.

22 That is, with friendship and concord, without any prejudice and detriment to your persons or goods. Compare Gen. 26:29, 31; 2 Sam. 3:21.

18¶Then Judah came near unto him, and said, 23Oh 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 24thou art even as Pharaoh.

23 See Gen. 43:20.

24 Hebr. like thou, like Pharaoh, that is, thou art of as great authority and power as Pharaoh is, whose person thou dost represent; in which regard I owe thee as much respect and awe, as to the king himself. See this manner of speaking, Gen. 18:25. Judah calls his brother Joseph here and in the following verses, his lord, and ten times he calls himself, his father, and all his brethren, Joseph’s servants; which he does indeed of humility and reverence, but at the same time fulfills thereby the dreams of Joseph, Gen. 37:7, 9.

19My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

20And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a 25child 26of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

25 Compare Gen. 37:3. The (Hebrew) word jeled means indeed very young children, even such are newborn, as Gen. 21:8; Exod. 1:17, and 2:8; but it is likewise used of reasonably aged persons; as of Joseph, when he was seventeen years old, Gen. 37:30; of all the children of Jacob, when Reuben was about fourteen, Gen. 33:1, and here of Benjamin, being about twenty four years of age.

26 That is, one who was born in the father’s old age.

21And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bringa him down unto me, that I may 27set mine eyes upon him.

a Gen. 42:15.

27 Or, cast my eye upon him, that is, that I may see him myself to discover the truth of your sayings. See Gen. 41:15, 16. Sometimes this phrase is used for to show grace or favor, as Jer. 39:12; 40:4.

22And we said unto my lord, The lad 28cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would 29die.

28 For the father would not permit it.

29 Namely, the father.

23And thou saidst unto thy servants, Exceptb your youngest brother come down with you, ye 30shall see my face no more.

b Gen. 43:3, 5.

30 Hebr. not add, or, continue to see my face. See Gen. 43:5.

24And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.

26And 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.

27And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my 31wife bare me 32two sons:

31 Namely, Rachel. See Gen. 46 on verse 19.

32 Namely, Joseph and Benjamin.

28And the one went out from me, andc I said, Surely he 33is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

c Gen. 37:33.

33 Hebr. tearing torn. Here Joseph begins to understand what his brethren had made Jacob believe concerning himself, insomuch that to this day he knew not otherwise, but Joseph was torn by wild beats.

29And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, yed shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow 34to the grave.

d Gen. 42:38.

34 See Gen. 37:25, and below verse 31.

30Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that 35his life is bound up in the lad's life;

35 That is, whom he loves with much internal and cordial affection, even as his own heart. See similar phrase, 1 Sam. 18:1.

31It 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.

32For 36thy servant became surety for the lad 37unto my father, saying, Ife I bring him not unto thee, then I 38shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

36 That is, I.

37 Hebr. from by my father, that is, as some interpret it, when he departed from his father.

e Gen. 43:9.

38 That is, I shall be esteemed guilty and worthy of punishment by my father, all the days of my life, as Gen. 43:9, see the annotation there.

33Now therefore, I pray thee, 39let 40thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

39 Judah shows here a most singular tenderness towards his father, and love to his brother Benjamin.

40 That is, myself.

34For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that 41shall come on my father.

41 Hebr. find him, that is, surprise, befall, happen to, light upon him. See this phrase, Exod. 18:8; Deut. 4:30; Esther 8:6; Job 31:29, etc. This narrative of Judah did so touch and affect the heart of Joseph that he was not able to refrain himself any longer from tears, and discovering of himself unto his brethren.