Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 44:6
And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these same words.
6, 7. he overtook them, and he spake. . . these wordsThe steward’s words must have come upon themlike a thunderbolt, and one of their most predominant feelings musthave been the humiliating and galling sense of being made so oftenobjects of suspicion. Protesting their innocence, they invited asearch. The challenge was accepted [Gen 44:10;Gen 44:11]. Beginning with theeldest, every sack was examined, and the cup being found inBenjamin’s [Ge 44:12], they allreturned in an indescribable agony of mind to the house of thegovernor [Ge 44:13], throwingthemselves at his feet [Ge 44:14],with the remarkable confession, “God hath found out the iniquityof thy servants” [Ge 44:16].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he overtook them,…. Their asses being laden with corn could not travel very fast, and he and his attendants being mounted on swift horses:
and he spake unto them these same words; that Joseph had ordered him to say, and so what follows particularly, Ge 44:10.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 6-13:
Joseph’s steward overtook the brothers soon after they left the city. He charged them with base ingratitude, violation of the rules of hospitality, and theft. The brothers vehemently denied the charges, and protested their innocence. So sure were they of their innocence they offered to surrender for death the one with whom the steward should find the silver cup, and the rest would agree to become slaves.
The steward affirmed he would not require the death penalty for the guilty one, but would instead make him a slave. The others would be free to go their way. This was an important aspect of Joseph’s plan. The brothers must be free to make a choice: they could have their own freedom at the expense of their younger brother.
The search began. The Egyptians opened all the grain sacks, beginning with the eldest and progressing to the youngest. And there in Benjamin’s sack they made the startling discovery: The Egyptian lord’s silver cup! Now the brothers must make their choice. They were free to return to Canaan to their families. There would be no need to jeopardize their own safety. They could denounce Benjamin as a thief and leave him to his fate. All knew he was innocent, but that would be of no consequence if their attitude was the same as when they callously ignored the piteous pleas of their innocent brother twenty years earlier.
The brothers made their choice. Though they were appalled at the discovery of the incriminating cup in Benjamin’s sack, they were unwilling to leave him to his fate. This was another step in the full cycle of their repentance. They sorrowfully gathered up their belongings and accompanied the Egyptians as they returned Benjamin as a prisoner to the city.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
A mind conscious of innocence useth this language: Heb 13:18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 44:6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
Ver. 6. And he spake. ] See Trapp on “ Gen 44:2 “ See Trapp on “ Gen 43:17 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 44:6-13
6So he overtook them and spoke these words to them. 7They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing. 8Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” 10So he said, “Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” 11Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13Then they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.
Gen 44:6-13 These verses are a dialogue between Joseph’s steward (also note Gen 43:16-25) and the ten brothers.
Gen 44:9 This response is very much like Jacob’s when he was overtaken by Laban (cf. Gen 31:32). It is an honest response and yet they will regret making these kinds of statements when the cup will be found in Benjamin’s bag.
Gen 44:10 “Now let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent” This again seems to be the general plot of seeing if they will abandon Benjamin or if they will stick together as a family. It would have been quite easy to leave Benjamin behind (cf. Gen 44:17) and to scurry away to safety (as they did with Simeon’s imprisonment).
The term translated “innocent” (BDB 667) is usually translated “blameless.” The term is used in several ways.
1. in a judicial sense, Exo 23:7
2. referring to an oath, Gen 24:41; Jos 2:17; Jos 2:20
3. referring to a person, Job 4:7; Job 9:23; Job 17:8; Job 22:19; Job 22:30; Job 27:17; Psa 10:8; Psa 15:5; Pro 1:11
This statement by the steward foreshadows Joseph’s statement in Gen 44:17.
Gen 44:12 “beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest” This knowledge of the brothers’ birth order had previously surprised them (cf. Gen 43:33). Now the steward is also familiar with this information.
This steward was a very close and trusted servant of Joseph. One only wonders how much of Joseph’s life and faith he was familiar with.
Gen 44:13 “Then they tore their clothes” No words could express their shock! This is one of several signs of mourning in Jewish culture. See Special Topic: GRIEVING RITES at Gen 37:29.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Reciprocal: 2Co 7:11 – clearing
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The brothers’ promise was not only rash but foolish since the contents of their sacks had surprised them previously (Gen 44:9). Years earlier Laban had searched through Jacob’s possessions for his teraphim that remained hidden in Rachel’s tent. Jacob had rashly pronounced a death sentence on the guilty person (cf. Gen 31:23; Gen 31:25; Gen 31:33; Gen 31:35). Now the Egyptians searched for Joseph’s cup of divination and found it in the sack of Benjamin, Rachel’s son. The brothers here also rashly pronounced a death sentence on the guilty person.
Joseph’s steward did not hold the brothers to their promise but simply stated that the "guilty" person would become a slave (Gen 44:10). Joseph had set his brothers up with a perfect excuse to abandon Benjamin and free themselves from slavery.
Tearing one’s clothing was a sign of great personal distress in the ancient Near East (Gen 44:13; cf. Gen 37:29). Here it expressed the brothers’ sincere agony at the prospect of having to turn Benjamin over to the Egyptians and return to Jacob only to break his heart. They tore their clothes in anguish, as Jacob had done when he received news of Joseph’s apparent death (Gen 37:34). The brothers did not suspect that they were the victims of fraud any more than Jacob did when his sons gave him Joseph’s bloody coat. [Note: Hamilton, The Book . . . Chapters 18-50, p. 564.]
"That all the brothers suffered such distress is a telling sign of the new sense of unity they had developed. They had already been informed that the innocent will be released (Gen 44:10). Moreover, that they all return to Egypt underscores their commitment to Benjamin. The brothers are of one accord without any grumbling or dissent. . . . They were guilty [previously] but did not show remorse; now they are innocent and demonstrate deepest agony." [Note: Mathews, Genesis 11:27-50:26, p. 800.]