He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Comment: Not surprisingly the cup is found where Joseph had had it placed. But they all might be seen as thieves, because of the money in their bags!
Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground. Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?” 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.” But he 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.”
Comment: The returning Canaanites must have looked a very sorry sight. Clothes all torn; weeping, pleading innocence but offering servitude; Talking about guilt. But remember that they had not recognized who Joseph was. Interestingly their talk of guilt isn’t towards Joseph (let’s be clear – they knew that they had not stolen the stuff but had been cheated!). They were talking of their guilt before God for having sold Joseph into slavery. They still thought that he was dead. Joseph very generously says ‘No, the ten of you may go back to your father and families, but Benjamin is mine!’
Prayer: I can understand what Joseph was doing but am not sure of how moral his actions were. Your word says ‘let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’?
As I read it! 