Genesis 44:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack,

NIV: Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: 'Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's silver in the mouth of his sack.

NASB: Then he commanded his house steward, saying, 'Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the opening of his sack.

CSB: Joseph commanded his steward, "Fill the men's bags with as much food as they can carry, and put each one's silver at the top of his bag.

NLT: When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to his palace manager: 'Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man’s money back into his sack.

KJV: And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.

NKJV: And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack.

The passage leading up to this moment brought a sense of great relief for 11 of Jacob's sons (Genesis 43:1–2). They worried the Egyptian ruler (Genesis 42:19–20) planned to falsely enslave them for stealing during their previous trip (Genesis 42:26–28). Instead, he honored them as guests in his home, giving special attention and blessing to their youngest brother, Benjamin (Genesis 43:34). Their encounter with the man ended with eating, drinking, and laughter. All was apparently well.

The men still don't know this Egyptian ruler is their long-lost brother Joseph (Genesis 37:24–28; 42:8). He has not revealed himself, and his actions are not easy to interpret. He still may be undecided about how to deal with the men who sold him into slavery many years ago. The various rebukes and challenges he has used seem like tests; that would make what happens next a final exam for his estranged family.

Appearing to send the brothers off in good standing, Joseph orders his steward to fill their sacks with as much grain as they will hold. However, he once again tells the steward to put the money each man brought to pay for the grain back into their sacks, as well (Genesis 42:25). This time, the return of the money seems to be no secret. And yet, what appears a gesture of extended kindness will reveal itself as exactly the kind of trap the brothers had feared (Genesis 43:18).

Genesis 44:1–13 describes Joseph's final test of his estranged brothers, this time using a silver cup. After a merry feast, Joseph's brothers—who still know nothing of his identity—are sent out with grain and money. Joseph orders his house steward to hide his unique personal cup in Benjamin's sack. Shortly after they leave, he sends the steward to overtake the brothers on their way out of town. Once the cup is found, all the brothers return to Joseph's house in great grief and frustration.

Eleven of Jacob's sons enjoyed a meal as honored guests of an Egyptian governor. They are sent off the next morning with full sacks of grain. All seems well until the governor's house steward overtakes them on the road and accuses them of stealing the ruler's personal and valuable silver cup. The brothers don't know this governor is Joseph, their long-lost brother. Nor do they know he ordered the steward to place the cup in Benjamin's sack. This is part of Joseph's final test of his brothers and their moral growth. Seeking to rescue Benjamin from slavery, Judah makes a powerful speech to Joseph, offering to take Benjamin's place as a slave to save the boy and avoid grieving their father, Jacob.

Joseph maintained his hidden identity when his estranged brothers first arrived in Egypt (Genesis 42). When they returned a second time, he continued to test them and treated them to a fine meal (Genesis 43). Genesis 44 describes Joseph's final scheme to test the character of his brothers. Will they once again abandon a sibling into slavery? After a successful scheme by Joseph, Benjamin seems doomed to become a slave in Egypt. Judah boldly begs Joseph to keep him, instead. He offers himself in Benjamin's place. This finally overwhelms Joseph, who will break down and reveal himself in the next chapter.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.