Ge. 44: Who's Got The Silver Cup? Benjamin's Got The Silver Cup.

So after the feasting and joy is all done, Joseph, unbeknownst to his brothers, gives similar instructions as in chapter 42. Fill the sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put the silver back. I don't know if Joseph mentioned these were his brothers to the stewards, or if the stewards caught on, or what. Perhaps they were used to crazy orders from a capricious Pharaoh. You know, like, "Dig up that tree, and move it ten feet to the left." Or "Execute this slave with a flaming arrow, but force-feed him this pineapple first."

This time, Joseph tells them to put his silver cup in the youngest one's sack.

Well, the brothers were up with the sun, and gone with the wind. They didn't get far when Joseph sends his steward to go catch up to them and ask them why they repaid generosity with thievery. Why they took the cup the master uses for divination. Not sure what that's all about, perhaps to keep up the deception?

Of course the brothers are like, "Whatever, we didn't do anything. Why would we do that? Tell you what, if anyone has that stuff, he will die, and we'll be your slaves." Their certainty and impetuousness with these vows has got to stop. I would never promise myself as a slave to anyone, regardless of how sure I am the sun revolves around the earth.

Wouldn't you know it, the cup was in Benjamin's sack. D'oh. So they tore their clothes in agony and returned to the city. Remember what they promised Jacob?

Joseph, who wants to make these people suffer or something snaps at them, but only says he'll keep Benjamin as a slave. Judah, who had made a pretty intense vow tells Joseph the whole story about what he told his dad in chapter 43, mentioning how closely bound their father's life is with the well being of his youngest son. I think these guys' hearts are finally melting.

Pretty agonizing for them. Now they have to return to dad empty handed, exactly as they promised they would not.

When is Joseph going to put an end to this madness? His big reveal: Tomorrow.