Joseph's Deception (Genesis 44)

The Bible contains truthful DEscriptions of events, but not every DEscription is also a PREscription or recommendation for us. Does the Bible hide the sins of believers or frankly tell both the good and bad? Is Christian history also filled with both good and bad? Is God merciful? Let’s look at Genesis 44.

Did Joseph set a dishonest trap to deceive his brothers and falsely accuse them?

Later, Joseph commanded his palace manager, “Fill the men’s sacks to full capacity with food and replace each man’s money at the top of the sack. Then place my cup—the silver one—in the top of the sack belonging to the youngest one, along with the money he brought to buy grain.” So the manager did precisely what Joseph told him to do. Early the next morning, the men were sent on their way, along with their donkeys. They had not traveled far from the city when Joseph ordered his palace manager, “Get up, follow those men, and when you’ve caught up with them, ask them, ‘Why did you repay evil for good? Don’t you have the cup that my master uses to drink from and also uses to practice divination? You’re wrong to have done this.’” So he went after them and made that accusation. (Genesis 44:1-6 ISV)

In whose luggage was the trap set? What did the brothers do when this was found?

And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. (Genesis 44:7-13 KJV)

What did Joseph say to his brothers? What was he trying to accomplish?

When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell down to the ground before him. Joseph said to them, “What is this thing that you have done? Do you not know that a man who is like me can indeed practice divination?” So Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What words can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found.” But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.” (Genesis 44:14-17 NASB)

How did Judah begin his plea? Did he leave out their guilt in kidnapping and selling their brother?

Then Judah went up to him and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, let me speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’ “Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’ And we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.’ But you told your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’ (Genesis 44:18-23 NIV)

Did Judah speak of their father’s grief? What did he say of their missing brother, Joseph?

“So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 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.’ Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since. 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.’ (Genesis 44:24-29 NKJV)