Bible Study Lessons about Joseph – Genesis 44:1-34
The past catches up. This is the story of how Joseph sets up Benjamin with the silver cup.
Remember Judah? Yes, he was the brother who conceived the idea to sell Joseph into slavery.
Now, he takes responsibility for the life of his other brother, Benjamin.
The silver cup is discussed in this Bible study lesson about Joseph and his meeting with the brothers in Egypt.
Joseph plants the cup in the bag of his brother Benjamin and there is a turn of events along with a change of heart in the one who first sold Joseph to the traders — Judah.
Joseph Sets Up Benjamin with a Silver Cup
Then he commanded his house steward, saying, “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.
Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph had told him.
As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys.
They had just gone out of the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, “Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?
Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.’”
So he overtook them and spoke these words to them.
They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.
Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan.
How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?
With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
So he said, “Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent.”
Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Then they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city. – Genesis 44:1-13 NASB
Judah Takes Responsibility
For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.’
Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. – Genesis 44:32-33 NASB
Judah “Grows Up”
Is this the same Judah we’ve been reading about in previous verses?
Remember, just a few chapters back, Judah was more than willing to sell his younger brother (Joseph) to slave traders because of jealousy and greed, with no regard to Joseph or his father.
Now, Judah is willing to give his life for that of this other younger brother in order to save him, and to save his father from grief in his old age.
Isn’t it awesome what God can do?
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”160″ identifier=”1414359810″ locale=”US” src=”https://makingchristknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/41r4WCbUeL.SL160.jpg” tag=”bobpardphot-20″ width=”105″]This story has now taken an interesting turn and we see before our very eyes how God can change a person from doing absolute evil to doing an heroic and noble thing.
Jesus said that there is nothing greater than a person who is willing to lay down his life for another.
And remember, that’s exactly what Christ did for you and me.
Love in Christ
– Bob
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