“Joseph Makes Himself Known”

 

Joseph told one of his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain and to put back their money in the top of the sacks, just as he had before.

“And,” Joseph said, “Put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest boy, Benjamin.” So that is what the servant did.

In the morning, as soon as it was light, the men got on their donkeys and started happily back to Canaan.

But they were hardly out of the city when Joseph told his servant to chase after them and stop them why they had stolen his silver cup? So the servant hurried and caught up with them.

They were very much surprised and wondered what the servant was talking about when he asked them about the cup.

“God forbid that we should do such a thing as to steal the Governor’s cup,” they said.

They reminded the servant that that they had proved their honesty by bringing back the money they found in their sacks before, and they certainly wouldn’t steal the silver cup.

“If any of us stole it, we ourselves will kill him.” They said, “And all the rest of us will go back and be slaves.”

The servant said that only the one who had stolen the cup would be a slave; the rest of them could go on home.

Then they all took down their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them so the servant could look. He began with the sack of the oldest, but the cup wasn’t there. He went on down the line, but none of them had the cup. Then he came to Benjamin. And there was the cup, right at the top of Benjamin’s sack.

Now the poor brothers didn’t know what to do. They tore their clothes in sorrow and finally loaded up their donkeys and went back to the city with Benjamin and the servant.

When they saw Joseph, they all fell to the ground before him. Joseph pretended that he thought that Benjamin had stolen his cup and said they should of known that he would find out about it. Judah stood up and spoke to Joseph for all of them.

“Oh, what shall we say to my lord?” he asked.  “God has found out our wickedness; we are all your slaves.”

But Joseph said that only the one who had stolen the cup would be his slave; the rest of them could go home to their father.

Judah pleaded with Joseph. He reminded him about the first time they had come to Egypt for food, and how Joseph had asked them whether they had a father and a brother at home. And they had told him yes, their father was an old man now, and their brother was still very young. They had told him that their father dearly loved his youngest son, for he was all he had left from his wife Rachel, who was dead.

But Joseph had said that they must bring their younger brother to Egypt with them the next time they came. They said then that the boy could not leave his father, for if he did, his father would die. But Joseph had told them that is they didn’t bring their brother; they could never come back.

Judah explained to Joseph explained to Joseph that when they went home, they had told their father what he had said. And when their father wanted them to go back to Egypt to buy more food, they had told him. We can’t, unless Benjamin goes with us, for the man told us not to come back without him.” Then their father told them that if they took Benjamin, he would die of sorrow.

So, now Judah said, if they went home without Benjamin, their father would die of shock and sorrow. Then Judah begged Joseph to let him stay and be a slave instead of Benjamin, and to let Benjamin go home to his father.

Joseph couldn’t stand it any longer. He ordered all of his servants to leave the room, and Joseph was left alone with his brothers. Then he began to cry, his brothers watch in surprise.

Finally, when he could speak, he told them, “I am Joseph! Oh, tell me more about my father!”

His brothers were too surprised and frightened to say anything. Then Joseph called them over to him.

“I am your brother Joseph!” he said again.

Then at last they realized what he was saying, and what excitement there was as they all hugged and kissed each or!

Joseph told them to stop being sad for what they had done to him, because God had turned it all into good. Joseph loved his brothers and didn’t want them to be unhappy and afraid, and that is why he told them this.

He explained to them that the famine would last another five years, for God had said that there would be no crops for all that time.

“Hurry back to my father,” he told them, “and tell him that his son Joseph says, “God has made me ruler over all of Egypt. Come down to me, and you will live in the best part of the land. Bring your children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have, and I will take care of you.” Tell my father how great I am in Egypt, and describe all you have seen. Hurry home and bring my father here.”

Then Joseph hugged his brother Benjamin and cried again, for he was so glad to see him. And Benjamin cried too, and so did all the brothers.

Questions:

Why did Joseph tell his servant to hide a silver cup in Benjamins sack?

What did Joseph offer to do, if Joseph would let Benjamin go home?

Did Joseph forgive his brothers for doing wrong to him years ago?

Why?

Genesis 45:1-5

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.