Joseph Tests His Brothers
The famine continued, and Jacob’s family ran out of food again. Jacob told his sons, “Go back to Egypt and buy more food.”
But the brothers reminded him, “The man in charge said we cannot return unless we bring Benjamin with us.”
Jacob was very upset, but finally, he agreed to let Benjamin go. “Take him, and may God protect you,” he said. He also told them to bring gifts and extra money to repay for the grain they found in their sacks on their first trip.
The brothers packed their bags and headed back to Egypt with Benjamin.
A Special Dinner with Joseph
When Joseph saw his brothers arriving with Benjamin, he was very happy, but he kept his identity a secret. He told his servants to prepare a special meal for them.
The brothers were nervous. “Why is he inviting us to dinner?” they wondered. “Maybe he’s angry because of the money in our sacks!”
At the dinner, Joseph asked them about their father. “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”
The brothers replied, “Yes, he is alive and well.”
When Joseph saw Benjamin, his youngest brother, he was so moved that he had to step away to hide his tears.
The Silver Cup Test
The next morning, Joseph gave his brothers grain to take home. But before they left, he told his servant to secretly place his special silver cup in Benjamin’s sack.
After the brothers left, Joseph sent his servant to catch up with them. The servant accused them of stealing Joseph’s silver cup.
The brothers were shocked. “We would never do such a thing!” they said. “If any of us has the cup, that person will become your servant.”
The servant searched their sacks, starting with the oldest brother and ending with Benjamin. When he opened Benjamin’s sack, there was the silver cup!
The Brothers’ Plea
The brothers were terrified. They returned to Joseph’s house and begged him for mercy. “Please, let Benjamin go home to our father! He is our father’s youngest and his favorite. If anything happens to him, it will break our father’s heart.”
Judah even offered himself as a servant in Benjamin’s place. “Take me instead,” he said. “Let Benjamin go home.”
Joseph Reveals the Truth
When Joseph saw how much his brothers cared for Benjamin, he couldn’t keep his secret any longer. He sent all the servants out of the room and began to cry.
“I am Joseph!” he said. “I am your brother, the one you sold into slavery!”
The brothers were shocked and scared. But Joseph said, “Don’t be afraid. God used what happened to bring me to Egypt so I could save many lives, including yours. It wasn’t you who sent me here—it was God!”
Lesson
This story shows us that God can bring good out of bad situations. Joseph forgave his brothers, even though they had hurt him because he trusted God’s plan. Like Joseph, we can show forgiveness and kindness, even when others have been unkind to us.