Genesis 44

The study of Genesis begins with God. God created all things, including his crowning creation of man. I just read about scientists discovering what they called the “watery past” of Mars. They theorize that a rock broke off from Mars and landed on Earth, producing the first forms of life. Humanity is always trying to write God out of the story, but Genesis teaches us that he is writing the story! Sometimes, he works in the sunlight, sometimes in the shadows, but he is always at work. And he is writing his story through you.

After Adam and Eve rebelled and introduced sin into humanity, God promised to send a Savior who would deal with sin once and for all (Gen. 3:15). In Genesis 12, he chose a people through whom to send the Savior. He promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky (Gen. 15:5). However, in Genesis 44, there are only seventy people in Abraham’s lineage.

God has positioned Abraham’s great-grandson, Joseph, to be the governor of Egypt, one of the most influential countries of the day. Joseph’s journey to that position included being sold into slavery, falsely accused of sexual assault, and spending years in prison before being elevated to his high position. After managing seven years of plentiful harvest, Joseph oversaw food distribution throughout seven years of famine. One day, his brothers—those who sold him into slavery—arrived to buy grain. Joseph put them through two tests, the first of which we examined in Genesis 42-43. We will study the second one today.

Genesis 44:1-5
Then [Joseph] commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, ² and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him. ³ As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. ⁴ They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? ⁵ Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’”

The brothers were emphatic that none had stolen Joseph’s silver cup. They were so confident they asserted that any man possessing the cup would die, and the rest would become servants of the governor. Joseph’s steward searched through every sack, from the oldest brother to the youngest, to create tension. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack, right where the steward planted it. At this discovery, the brothers could have left Benjamin to face the consequences alone. Instead, they “tore their clothes” as a sign of deep remorse and returned to the city to plead with Joseph.

Genesis 44:16-17
And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” ¹⁷ But [Joseph] said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

While the brothers stood before the governor, they admitted that God is the One dealing with their guilt. Their confession was about the mistreatment of Joseph and their selling him into slavery. After twenty years of carrying the guilt, the brothers are facing sin’s consequences. As part of the test, Joseph decided to set the brothers free, except for Benjamin, who had the silver cup. Judah, the one who had sold Joseph into slavery, became the spokesperson of the group. Read Judah’s passionate petition recorded in the last verses of this chapter.

Genesis 44:18-23
Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself. ¹⁹ My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ ²⁰ And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ ²¹ Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ ²² We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ ²³ Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.’”

Judah explained his father’s emotions when hearing Joseph’s first request. Rachel was the love of Jacob’s life. He believed wild animals had killed Joseph. He was not willing to risk losing Benjamin. However, Jacob reluctantly agreed that Benjamin could go to Egypt with his brothers when the family faced starvation, and Judah vowed to protect Benjamin. Judah shared that his father’s life was “bound up in [Benjamin’s] life” (Gen. 44:30). Concerned about his father’s fate if they returned without Benjamin, Judah offered himself as a substitute. He would be the governor’s servant instead of his youngest brother. Next time, we’ll see Joseph’s response.

Let’s consider this question: Why did Joseph put the brothers through the two tests? Was he being vindictive? Or was there a more significant reason?

When Joseph was a teenager, he shared two dreams with his brothers. Both dreams indicated that one day, they would bow before him. These dreams were fulfilled twenty years later in Egypt, but initially, the dreams were not well received. Besides the dreams, Jacob made it known that Joseph was his favorite son. The dreams and the favoritism did not sit well with his brothers. They hated him, did not have one good word to say about him, and finally sold Joseph into slavery despite him begging for mercy. When the brothers showed up in Egypt, Joseph tested their character.

Joseph knew how he had been treated and wondered if his brother Benjamin had experienced the same abusive behavior. That’s why he insisted that Benjamin be with them if they returned. The brothers’ separate concern was that Joseph surreptitiously put the money they used to buy the grain back in their sacks. The brothers thought they would be accused of stealing the grain. How would they handle this situation and any tension between them?

Joseph greeted them with dinner and gifts on their return trip with Benjamin. Indeed, they found comfort in the meeting, even if they were amazed that he had seated them in their birth order and gave extra food and gifts to Benjamin. He planted his silver cup in Benjamin’s bag to see how the brothers would react again. Would they abandon Benjamin and return home or plead for him? The brothers’ actions show that they had changed. They repented of their past sins and committed to protecting Benjamin and their father, Jacob.

The tests were not vindictive; Joseph needed to determine if their hearts had changed. And God was behind it all. In the following chapters, we will see that God is preparing to make Israel a great nation. The brothers would be the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. God had to know that Israel’s sons had turned their hearts toward him.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Genesis 44. As you read this chapter, focus on Judah’s passionate plea. Remember, Judah led the charge to sell Joseph into slavery, married a Canaanite, and slept with his daughter-in-law (Gen. 38). But here, note that his hard heart has changed.

Talking to God
Talk to God about any hardened areas of your heart. Ask God to help you own your sin, repent, and turn to him.

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