Genesis

Final Test: Benjamin, Guilty

Now Joseph gave this order to his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry and put back each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack,

and put my cup, the silver cup with the money for the grain in the sack of the youngest.” The steward did as Joseph had directed.

As soon as it was light the next morning, the men were sent away with their donkeys.

When they had left but were still not far from the city, Joseph said to his steward: “Go quickly after those men, and when you have caught up with them, say this: Why have you repaid good with evil?

Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? You have done a wicked thing.”

When he caught up with them, he repeated these words.

They asked him: “Why does my lord speak like that? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.

The money we found in the mouths of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan! How could we have stolen silver or gold from your lord’s house?

If one of your servants is found with the object, he will die, and we too will become my lord’s slaves.”

“Very well then,” he said, “it will be as you say. The one who is found to have the cup will become my master’s slave; the rest of you will go free.”

Then, each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

He searched, starting with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

Then they tore their clothes and, reloading their donkeys, returned to the city.

Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers returned, and they fell to the ground before him.

Joseph said to them: “What have you done? Didn’t you know that a man such as I am can practice divination?”

Then Judah said:“What shall we say to my lord? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servant’s guilt; we are my lord’s slaves, and we are the ones who have been found with the cup.”

But Joseph said: “Far be it from me to do that. Only the man found to have the cup will be my slave. As for the rest, go back in peace to your father.”

Judah then stepped forward and said: “My lord, please allow your servant to speak. Do not be angry with your servant, even though you are like Pharaoh himself.

The last time you questioned your servants, asking: ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

We replied to my lord: ‘We have an elderly father who had a child in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one left of his mother’s children. And his father loves him.’

Then you told us: ‘Bring him down so that I can see him for myself.’

We explained to my lord that the boy could not leave his father, for if he did, his father would die.

You then informed us that we wouldn’t be allowed into your presence unless our youngest brother accompanied us.

We relayed all this to our father when we returned.

So when he instructed us to come back and buy some food,

we said: ‘We cannot go down again unless our youngest brother is with us. We shall not be admitted to the lord’s presence unless our brother is with us.’

Then my father said: ‘You know that my wife had two children.

One went away from me and has surely been torn to pieces since I have not seen him anymore.

If you take this one from me and something happens to him, you will bring my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.’

Now I can’t return to my father without the boy, for my father loves him very much. If he sees that the boy is not there,

he will die, and we will have sent our father’s gray hairs in sorrow to the grave.

I, your servant, assured my father of the boy’s safety, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back, I will bear the blame before you all my life.’

Now, allow me to take the boy’s place and remain here as a slave, while the boy goes with his brothers.

For I cannot return to my father without the boy. Do not let me witness the misery that would be too much for my father.”