The Silver Cup and Judah's Plea

Joseph told the steward of his house to fill the brothers’ sacks with food, as much as they could carry, and to put each man’s money back in his sack. Then he gave one more secret command: the silver cup was to be placed in Benjamin’s sack with his grain money. In the morning, the brothers set off with their donkeys, not knowing what had been done.

Soon Joseph sent his steward after them. The steward accused them of repaying good with evil by taking the cup, the one his master used for drinking and divining. The brothers were shocked. They reminded him that they had even brought back the money they had found before. Certain of their innocence, they said the guilty man should die and the rest would become slaves.

The steward answered that only the one with the cup would become a slave, and the others would be clear. The brothers quickly lowered their sacks and opened them. The search began with the oldest and ended with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they tore their clothes in grief, loaded their donkeys again, and returned to the city.

Back at Joseph’s house, Judah and his brothers fell to the ground before him. Joseph asked what they had done and said that a man like him could indeed divine. Judah answered that they had nothing to say to clear themselves. He said that God had found out the iniquity of his servants, and offered that all of them, including Benjamin, should be slaves. But Joseph said only the man with the cup would be his slave, and the others could go back to their father in peace.

Then Judah came near and pleaded with Joseph. He retold how their father had been afraid to let Benjamin go, because Benjamin was the only son left of his mother and his father loved him. Judah said their father’s life was bound up with the boy’s life, and that he himself had become responsible for Benjamin. So Judah begged to stay as a slave in Benjamin’s place, asking that Benjamin go home with his brothers. He could not bear to see the sorrow that would come on his father.