Year of the Bible
Genesis 44
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Commentary on the Book of Genesis, Chapter 44:
When Joseph’s brothers leave, Joseph contrives a way to find them guilty of theft and to require Benjamin to stay with him in reparation. Judah again takes on a leadership role and offers an impassioned plea. He explains there is no way to prove their innocence and that Benjamin is very important to their father. To appease all parties involved, he offers to become a servant in Joseph’s household in place of Benjamin. This allows him to fulfill the requested punishment for the crime they did not commit while also permitting Benjamin to return home to their father.
The Book of Genesis, Chapter 44:
Joseph Detains Benjamin
1 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, 2 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him. 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. 4 When they had gone but a short distance from the city, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you returned evil for good? Why have you stolen my silver cup? 5 Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he divines? You have done wrong in so doing.’ ”
6 When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. 7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! 8 Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; how then should we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 With whomever of your servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” 10 He said, “Let it be as you say: he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be blameless.” 11 Then every man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and every man opened his sack. 12 And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there; and they fell before him to the ground. 15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed divine?” 16 And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s
slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” 17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
Judah Pleads for Benjamin’s Release
18 Then Judah went up to him and said, “O my lord, let your servant, I beg you, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are like Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ 20 And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children; and his father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.’ 22 We said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’ 24 When we went back to your servant my father we told him the words of my lord. 25 And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’ 26 we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28 one left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces; and I have never seen him since. 29 If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs in sorrow to Sheol.’ 30 Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die; and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame in the sight of my father all my life.’ 33 Now therefore, let your servant, I beg you, remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord; and let the lad go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the lad is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would come upon my father.”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
"Lord, you have searched me, you know me" (Psalm 139:1) Lord, what parts of my life or my heart are you trying to shine light on today? Give me the courage to face these things, and to be truly seen by you.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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José dio la siguiente orden a su mayordomo:
–Llena de víveres los sacos de estos
hombres, tanto como quepan, y pon el
dinero de cada uno en la boca de su saco.
2 Además colocarás mi copa, la de plata, en
la boca del saco del pequeño, junto con el
dinero de su compra.
Él cumplió tal cual la orden de José.
3 Al amanecer se despidieron los
hombres con sus asnos. 4 Éstos salieron
de la ciudad y aún no estaban lejos
cuando José dijo a su mayordomo:
–Ponte en camino y persigue a esos
hombres; cuando les alcances diles:
«¿Por qué habéis pagado mal por bien?
5 ¿No es esta copa donde bebe mi señor
y con la que hace adivinaciones? Está
muy mal lo que habéis hecho».
6 Los alcanzó y les dijo estas mismas
palabras. 7 Ellos le respondieron:
–¿Por qué habla mi señor de este
modo? Lejos de tus siervos hacer tal
cosa. 8 El dinero que encontramos en
la boca de nuestros sacos te lo trajimos
desde el país de Canaán. ¿Cómo íbamos
a robar plata ni oro de casa de tu señor?
9 Aquél de tus siervos a quien se le encuentre,
que muera, e incluso nosotros
quedaremos como esclavos de mi señor.
10 Él les dijo:
–De acuerdo, sea como decís; a
quien se le encuentre quedará como mi
esclavo, los demás quedaréis libres.
11 Dándose prisa cada uno bajó su
saco a tierra, y lo abrió. 12 Él los registró
comenzando por el mayor y acabando
por el pequeño, y encontró la copa en el
saco de Benjamín. 13 Entonces se rasgaron
las vestiduras y, cargando cada uno
su asno, volvieron a la ciudad. 14 Entró
Judá con sus hermanos a casa de José,
quien todavía estaba allí, y cayeron ante
él rostro en tierra.
15 Les dijo José:
–¿Qué acción habéis cometido? ¿No
sabíais que un hombre como yo puede
adivinar?
16 Respondió Judá:
–¿Qué podemos exponer a mi señor?
¿Qué alegaremos y cómo nos vamos
a justificar? Dios ha descubierto la
falta de tus siervos; aquí estamos como
esclavos de mi señor, tanto nosotros
como aquél en cuyo poder se ha encontrado
la copa.
17 Repuso José:
–Lejos de mí tal acción; aquel en
cuyo poder se ha encontrado la copa,
ése será mi esclavo; los demás id en paz
a donde está vuestro padre.
18 Judá se le acercó y le dijo:
–Te suplico, mi señor, que permitas
a tu siervo decir una palabra a oídos de
mi señor; y no se excite tu ira contra tu
siervo, pues eres como el faraón. 19 Mi señor
preguntó a sus siervos: «¿Tenéis padre
o algún hermano?» 20 Respondimos
a mi señor: «Tenemos al padre anciano,
y un hijo nacido en su ancianidad, el pequeño,
cuyo hermano murió quedando
él solo de su madre, y su padre le ama».
21 Entonces dijiste a tus siervos: «Traédmelo,
para verlo con mis ojos». 22 Nosotros
contestamos a mi señor: «El muchacho
no puede abandonar a su padre; si
lo abandonara, moriría». 23 Tú insististe
a tus siervos: «Si no baja con vosotros
vuestro hermano pequeño, no volváis a
verme». 24 Cuando subimos a donde estaba
mi padre, tu siervo, le contamos
lo que había dicho mi señor. 25 Luegodijo nuestro padre: «Volved a comprarnos
algunos víveres». 26 Respondimos:
«No podemos bajar. Bajaremos si viene
con nosotros nuestro hermano pequeño,
pues no podemos presentarnos
ante aquel hombre si nuestro hermano
pequeño no viene con nosotros». 27 Pero
mi padre, tu siervo, nos replicó: «Vosotros
sabéis que mi esposa me dio dos hijos;
28 el uno se alejó de mí y tuve que decir:
“Seguramente ha sido despedazado”.
Y yo no le he vuelto a ver. 29 Si os lleváis
también a éste de mi lado y le ocurre alguna
desgracia, haríais bajar, de aflicción,
mis canas al sheol». 30 Si ahora vuelvo
a mi padre, tu siervo, sin que venga
con nosotros el muchacho, a cuya vida
está unida la de él, 31 cuando vea que no
viene el muchacho, morirá; tus siervos
habremos hecho bajar de pena las canas
de nuestro padre al sheol. 32 Porque, además,
yo, tu siervo, me he hecho responsable
del muchacho ante mi padre, diciendo:
«Si no te lo traigo seré culpable
de pecado ante mi padre toda la vida».
33 Ahora, pues, quede tu siervo, por favor,
como esclavo de mi señor en lugar del
muchacho y que éste suba con sus hermanos,
34 pues ¿cómo voy a subir a donde
está mi padre sin el muchacho conmigo?
No quiero ver la desgracia que va
a sobrevenir a mi padre.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).