Gen 44:1
And he commanded the steward of his house, 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.
Gen 44:2 “Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
The Sages tell us that the brothers know about the money being given back this time. As it was done to show that Joseph was sorry for his harsh treatment of them earlier. The official that filed the sacks would close and seal them, this would insure that no one would open the sacks, until they had left Egypt. One claim is Pharaohs seal was used, in this manner, no Egyptian guard would inspect the sacks finding Joseph's cup.
Gen 44:3
As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
Gen 44:4 When they had gone out of the city,
and were not
yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?
Gen 44:5 ‘
Is not this
the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.’ ”
Before ever charging them with theft, they were accused of ingratitude. As the sages tell us this can at times be worse than theft. The stressing of the importance of the cup, made it clear that the crime was unpardonable. Also the taking of the cup, would have destroyed the reputation they had of being good. One hat was gained by returning the money that was not taken.
Gen 44:7 And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing.
Gen 44:8 “Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?
Gen 44:9 “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
If as was stated above the sacks had been sealed, in the presents of the brothers, They had good reason to be indignant. After all, the odds of the seals being broke, was around a million to one. They know the money had been put in there, so the gold and silver was not stolen. They offered to except death, was a bit harsh for theft, and one they would never have offered, had they any idea something may have been placed in the sacks.
Gen 44:10 And he said, “Now also
let it
be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.”
Gen 44:11 Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack.
Gen 44:12 So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Gen 44:13 Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
Some teach that it was Menasseh that was sent to overtake them. As to oldest son of Joseph, he would have the right to speak for Joseph as he does here. It was understanding that justice tempered with mercy, would guide Joseph's ruling in this matter, that He said only the one with the cup would become a slave. However, it seems that on one sen the prophetic nature of the brothers words.
The search of the sacks was bone from oldest to youngest, to hide the fact that he know where the cup was. Yet there is one teaching that tells us, only Simon's and Benjamin's sacks were searched. As the argument of returning the money was sound, yet didn't apply to Simon, as he was held in Egypt, also it would not apply to Benjamin, as he was not their the first time.
Gen 44:14
So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he
was still there; and they fell before him on the ground
Gen 44:15 And Joseph said to them, “What deed
is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?”
Although the brothers had already shown sorrow, by the ripping of their closes, and most likely had already plaid it out their minds how this may affect Jacob, fear of what may come most than likely plaid a part in how they acted, and spoke.
It may well be that Menasseh took them to Joseph's house to spare them the humiliation of being appearing before other Egyptians.
It was when all 11 had bowed down before, that his dream of the 11 stars was fulfilled. This may well have been an emotional time for Joseph, one that may well have lead to his telling his brothers who he really was.
Gen 44:16 Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and
he also with whom the cup was found.”
Could it be that Judah seen this as their past sin of selling Joseph coming back to hound them? That HaShem was bring this down on them in order to deal with that long hidden sin? If Judah seen it in that manner, this would explain his willingness, to be punished.
Gen 44:17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
Gen 44:18
Then Judah came near to him and said: “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you
are even like Pharaoh.
Gen 44:19 “My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’
Gen 44:20 “And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of
his old age,
who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’
Gen 44:21 “Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’
Gen 44:22 “And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for
if he should leave his father,
his father would die.’
Gen 44:23 “But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’
Gen 44:24
“So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord.
Gen 44:25 “And our father said, ‘Go back
and buy us a little food.’
Gen 44:26 “But we said, ‘We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother
is with us.’
Gen 44:27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons;
Gen 44:28 ‘and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since.
Gen 44:29 ‘But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’
Gen 44:30 “Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad
is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life,
This may seem like nothing more than a recap. However in the retelling of this, Judah is hinting at the idea that all this may have been a well laid plan. To what end Judah does not allude to. Although it may be that this is being seen by him, as divine judgment for their treatment of Joseph.
It is a bit odd that the sages would see this in what has transpired. Yet not bring out that Judah may also be seeing in this, Jacob receiving the brunt of the sorrow. As this had clearly crossed his mind, can it be that Judah was blinded so badly by his sin, that he failed to see the injustice of the action?
Gen 44:31 “it will happen, when he sees that the lad
is not
with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
Gen 44:32 “For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him
back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’
Gen 44:33 “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.
Gen 44:34 “For how shall I go up to my father if the lad
is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?”
It Seems that Judah is doing all he can to have the judgment placed on himself. This can be that Judah also placed the wrong done to Joseph on himself as well. Also as I had asked, Why would the Sages not bring out the injustice of Jacob being hit with the brunt of this sorrow. Having looked at a great deal of their commentary, seeking to find an answer to this, I have found none. Yet Judah brings it out clear as day. "Lest I see the evil that would come upon my father?" It would seem that with these words, Judah is letting it be known, that he see's on true justice in what Joseph is doing. It would also seem that at some point, Judah also seen that this was not judgment from HaShem. Yet as to that one should not speak, as the Word doesn't say this. Though it does seem alluded to.
Please if anyone finds fault in that thinking, let me know. I can't say it came from anyone other than my-self. As we know, I am human, and that makes me fallible.