Joseph put his brothers to the test one final time before he revealed himself to them. He wanted to be sure that they had experienced a change of heart or that they had repented. Joseph used his silver cup to put the brothers to one final test. He was very clever in finding out how his brothers would react if Benjamin was not allowed to return home with them. Joseph had each man’s money put in sack. He also had his silver cup put in Benjamin’s sack. He said this cup was used to divine. The brothers would have known what the cup was and how it was used. When the brothers were barely out of the city Joseph sent his steward to catch the men and ask them why they had rewarded good with evil. The men were accused of stealing. The brothers we so certain that none of them had stolen the cup that they said, “With whomever of your servants your master’s cup is found, not only let that one die, but the rest of us will be my lord’s slaves.” They just knew that the charges had to be a mistake. The steward said that whoever had the cup would become a slave and the others would go free. Apparently Joseph’s steward does not know why Joseph is trying to bring this charge against Benjamin. The steward made a mock search of all the bags and found the cup in Benjamin‘s sack. The brothers were devastated. When they returned Joseph is still waiting for them in the house. All his brothers again bow before him. He told them that even though they had stolen his cup he could still divine who had it. At this time we again observe Judah as a voice of reason. He explains about their past and present. They had been guilty in the past, but concerning Joseph’s cup and the money they are innocent. Joseph must have wondered if his brothers would sell Benjamin into slavery as they did him. Judah made a very noble speech in defense of Benjamin. Joseph learned how protective Israel was of Benjamin. He also learned for the first time that his brothers had somehow deceived his father into believing he had been killed by a wild animal. Judah explained in vivid detail what would happen with Israel if Benjamin is not returned to him. The heart of his moving speech is in these words, “For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.” (Genesis 44:32-34) It had been Judah who suggested selling Joseph to the Midianite traders. Judah is now a changed man. He is willing to give his life for Benjamin’s in order to spare his father grief. Jesus, who was a descendant of Judah, would likewise be willing to give His life for others. (1 John 3:16)

          Money and a missing silver cup -- Genesis 44:1-12: The steward of Joseph’s house did not seem to know what was going on, but he obeyed Joseph quickly and did as he was told. Joseph said, “Fill the men’s grain sacks with as much as they can hold and put their money in the sacks. Also put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest brother.” The men are eager to get home with the food for their family, so they are sent on their way early the next morning. When they had only gone a short distance Joseph sent his servant to ask them, “Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?“ “You ate at my master’s table and now, why have ye stolen his cup?” The servant told them that they had done very foolishly in stealing a thing of this nature; It was in continual use, would be soon missed. These brothers denied having done such a thing as this. “They said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing.” (Genesis 44:7) They cited the fact that they had returned the money that was found in their sacks on the first trip as proof that they were honest men. They asked, “Why would we want to steal any silver or gold from your master’s house?” They were not thinking when they said, “With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.” They should have been thinking that sense their money was in their sacks the first trip that it might be possible for the cup to be in someone’s sack now. The servant said servant hood was a good idea, but only for the one who had the cup. The others should go free. Each of the brothers quickly put his sack on the ground and opened it. They wanted to prove that they were innocent. The servant searched each sack, beginning with the oldest brother. When he searched Benjamin’s sack, he found the cup.

          The brothers returned to Joseph -- Genesis 44:13-17: It was the custom of that day to tear your cloths at times of extreme sadness. When the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack the brothers began tearing their clothes in sorrow. Then they loaded their donkeys and returned to the city to face Joseph. Judah was mention by name even though he was not the oldest son. He provided a stabilizing voice of reason as they dealt with this matter. He was also a man of his word in being responsible for Benjamin. The rest of the brothers might have delivered Benjamin up as a bond servant. Joseph was there waiting to see what would happen. When the brother’s returned Joseph’s dream was again fulfilled as the brothers bowed down before him. Judah said that God had shown them that they were guilty, but not of this. Judah said all of them would be his slave. But Joseph said he would only punish the one caught with his cup. He told them that the rest of were free to go home to their father.

          Judah reasoned with Joseph -- Genesis 44:18-26: Judah reasoned with Joseph in a very respectful manner. He respected him as a man having as much power as the king himself. He identified himself simply as a slave. Judah briefly reviewed what had brought them to this point. Judah reminded him that he had specifically asked about their father and any other brothers. They had told him that their father was a very old man and that there was a younger brother. He said they told him that Benjamin’s brother was dead. He also told him how much his father loved Benjamin and that he might die if Benjamin left him. But, Joseph had said they would not see his face again if they came without Benjamin. Judah told Joseph that their father wanted them to again go to Egypt for grain. They reminded him that they would never be allowed to see Joseph’s face unless Benjamin was with them. The brothers did not want to bring him, and obviously, the father did not want to send him, but Joseph had insisted.

          Judah Pleaded for Benjamin -- Genesis 44:27-34: Judah laid his life on the line to save Benjamin. Judah had stepped up as a man when his older brothers had failed. Joseph saw his brother Judah who had helped sell him as a slave now standing as a man, willing to be a slave if Benjamin could go free. Judah told Joseph that his father’s favorite wife gave birth to two sons. It must have touched the heart of Joseph when Judah said, “One of them was already missing and had not been seen for a long time. My father thinks the boy was torn to pieces by some wild animal.” Judah said that if anything happened to Benjamin his father would die of a broken heart. “In this willingness to give his own life in place of his brother's, for the sake of his father, Judah became a beautiful type of Christ.” Judah had grown to be a man of his word. He had promised his father that if he did not bring him safely home, he could blame him the rest of my life. Judah’s appeal to Joseph was simple, “Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.” (Genesis 44:33) Judah was willing to become a slave in Benjamin’s place, not so much for Benjamin, but instead for his father. He said, “How can I face my father if Benjamin isn’t with me? “I couldn’t bear to see my father in such sorrow.”

          Will you accept God's wonderful good news that Jesus died for your sins? Will you be baptized into Christ to put on Christ so that your sins can be forgiven by His blood? "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27) Believers contact Christ's saving blood by being baptized into His death. If you are not yet a Christian, it is my earnest prayer that you may heed the call of our Lord while you still have life and opportunity. If you are a Christian but have not been faithful why not come back to God in repentance and prayer. "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)