Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 44

2 And put my cup , the silver cup, in the sacks mouth of the youngest , and his corn-money: and he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

It seems to have been a large cup and of great price and much used by Ioseph.

With design to discover their intentions and affections towards Benjamin, whether they did envy him and would desert him in his danger, as they did Ioseph; or would cleave to him, that hence he might take his measures how to deal with him and them.

5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh? and whereby indeed he divineth ? ye have done evil in so doing.

Amongst the several kinds of divination in use among the Egyptians and other Heathens, this was one to do it by a cup or bason, which they filled with water and put in them plates of silver or precious stones in which certain characters were ingraven, by which and some words they used they called upon the Devil, who gave them answer. Ioseph did not use this course nor was a diviner, but the people thought him such an one, and the Steward might represent him as such for the better covering or carrying on his design. But this sence agrees not with the 15th. verse of this chapter, Wot you not, &c. Which words shew that he speaks of something which they all might easily know▪ but they did not know that Ioseph was a Diviner, much less that he divined by that cup, whereas that kind of divination was generally performed by a glass, not by a cup. Others observe, that the Hebrew word ofttimes signifies not to divine, but onely to observe and discover a thing, as Gen. 30. 27. 1 Kings 20. 33. and render the place thus, whereby he will certainly observe or discover, to wit, what you are and do. But this also seems not to consist with ver. 15. and the supplement is too large and remote. The true sense then is this, the Hebrew, bo, is not to be rendered, by which, but, concerning which, as the particle b[illegible: 1+ letters]th is oft used, and it notes not the instrument whereby, but the object about which, he did divine, and the words must be rendred, concerning which he can or would certainly divine. And this agrees well with ver. 15. q. d. did you think you could deceive my Master! did not you and all others know that he could divine and discover secret things, whence he had both his name and preferment! And this cup being much prized and used by him, you might easily judge that he would use his art to recover it.

(i. e.) Very evil, unjustly, unthankfully and foolishly.

Marginal references: Or, maketh trial.

8 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 Lords house silver or gold ?

It is not probable that we who restored that which was in our power to keep and to conceal without any danger should steal that which was likely to be discovered with so much shame and hazard to our selves.

9 With whom soever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my Lords bondmen .

This over-daring offer proceeded from hence that they were all conscious of their own innocency, and did not suspect any fraud or artifice in the matter.

Marginal references: Chap. 31. 32.

10 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 .

Thus he moderates the conditions which they proposed, exempting the innocent, and exchanging the deserved and offered death of the nocent into slavery.

12 And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamins sack.

To take off all their suspicion of his fraud.

He found doubtless the money there, but he accused them not about that matter, both because they had an answer ready to that charge from his own mouth, chap. 43. 23. and because the greater crime, the stealing of the cup which Ioseph so much prized and used, might seem to extinguish the less, or at least cause him to neglect it.

13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his asse, and returned to the City .

Being afraid and ashamed to go to their father without Benjamin, concerning whom they had received so severe a charge, and made such solemn promises and imprecations.

16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my Lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear our selves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my Lords servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

Who speaks in the cause, as being one of the eldest, and a person of most gravity and discretion and readiness of speech, and most eminently concerned for his brother.

viz. This iniquity, of which it seems some of us are guilty, and God hath discovered it. Or, iniquity may be put for iniquities, whether we are guilty of this fact or not we are certainly guilty of many other sins, for which God is now punishing us, to whose providence we therefore willingly submit.

18 Then Judah came near unto him , and said, O my Lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my Lords ears , and let not thy anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh .

Made a little nearer approach to him, that he might present his humble petiti[illegible: 1+ letters] to him.

In thy hearing: For this phrase doth not necessarily imply that he whispered in his ears, as appears from Numb. 14. 28. Deut. 32. 44. Iudg. 17. 2.

As thou representest his person, so thou art invested with his Majesty and Authority, and therefore thy word is a law, thou canst do with us what thou pleasest, either spare or punish us, and therefore we do justly deprecate thine anger and most humbly intreat thy favourable audience and princely compassion to us.

20 And we said unto ray Lord, we have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one , and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

So they call him comparatively to themselves who were much elder; and withal to signifie the reason why he came not with them because he was young and tender and unfit for such a journey.

21 And thou saidest unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him .

(i. e.) See him with my own eyes, and thereby be satisfied of the truth of what you say. Compare Gen. 42. 15, 16. Elsewhere this phrase signifies to shew favour to a person, as Ier. 39. 12. and 40. 4. But though that was Iosephs intention, as yet he was minded to conceal it from them.

23 And thou saidest unto thy servants, except your youngest brother come down with you, you shall see my face no more .

Quest. Why would Ioseph expose his father to the hazard of his life in parting with his dear child! Answ. Ioseph supposed that to be but a pretence, and might fear lest his brethren had disposed of Benjamin, as they did of him, and therefore could not bring him forth. And as for his father, the experience which he had of his continuance in life and health after the supposed untimely death of Ioseph gave him good assurance, that his parting with Benjamin for a season and that under the care and charge of his brethren was not likely to make any dangerous impression upon him.

Marginal references: Chap. 43. 3.

27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons.

He calleth her so by way of eminency, as Gen. 46. 19. because she onely was his wife by design and choice, whereas Leah was put upon him by fraud, and might have been refused by him, if he had so pleased, and the other two were given to him by Rachel and Leah.

30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; (seeing that his life is bound up in the lads life).

The death of the Child, which upon this occasion he will firmly believe, will unavoidably procure his death also.

33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide in stead of the lad, a bondman to my Lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren.

Partly in compassion to our aged father; and partly for thy own advantage; because I can be more serviceable to thee than he because of my greater strength and experience.