Then the guards showed up and Benjamin had the bosses favorite silver cup in his bag–oops. Well, I am sure they all knew they had been set up, but why?! and why Benjamin !? The brothers were as dumbfounded as was Joseph the day he was sold into slavery. What they had not yet grasped was that they were dealing with God and with their brother. There would be no reason to expect the most powerful man in the country to take all this time and effort–just to ruin their day. But, Joseph wanted to see what had become of these people–the ones that sent him away so brutally. He had to see what they would do about Benjamin–and boy, was he about to see.
Life is complicated–so much of life is out of our control. So much of life is not even about us. We simply are called to trust God, follow him humbly and graciously. If we will, he will bring us to the place we need to be, in the condition we need to be, with all we need–too do what needs to happen. There is no accounting for method, timing or circumstance–we simply have to trust and follow. Joseph did, and now he was about to get back all the years had stripped away. In addition, he was about to give back to hos family that which God had always intended. God used him and blessed him–and all he had to do was follow!
God Bless You
Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: Fill the men sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain. And he did as Joseph said.3Â As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4Â They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, Why have you repaid good with evil? isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.
6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that! 8Â We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.
10 Very well, then, he said, let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.
11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin sack. 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
