Genesis Worksheet - Chapter 44

Genesis Chapter 44

Joseph has lavished blessings on his brothers and has given five times the amount to his full-blood brother, Benjamin.  Now the brothers go on their way back to Canaan with the grain they have come to purchase.

1.  What did Joseph ask his house steward to do for each of the brothers? vs. 1 -

2.  What additional item did Joseph have the house steward put into Benjamin's sack? vs. 2 -

The brothers had just gotten out of the city on their way home when Joseph sent the house steward to overtake them and say:  "Why have you repaid good for evil?  Is this not the cup of my lord that he drinks from and uses for divination?  You have done wrong in this."

 

They all knew they had not done this and would not have done this.  They reminded him that they brought the money back the first time that was in their sacks, so why would they steal gold or silver from the lord's house?  Then they make the rash statement:  "If it is found, let him die, and we will be the lord's slaves."  The house steward changed that to "Whom it is found on will be my slave; the rest of you shall be innocent."

3.  They hurried, each one, to open their sack.  He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. 

Where did he find the cup? vs. 12 -

4.  How did all the brothers react when they realized this? vs. 13 -

 

When Judah and his brothers arrived back at Joseph's house, they fell to the ground before him.  Joseph asked them why that had done it.  Judah spoke up with these words: "What can we say to my lord?  What can we speak?  And how can we justify ourselves?   God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord's slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found."

5.  What did Joseph say he wanted for the punishment of the one who had the silver cup? vs. 17 -

6.  What did Joseph say the rest of them could do? vs. 17 -

 

Judah took the lead role once again and he approached Joseph.  These were his words: "Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord's ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh.".... Then Judah went through the entire story of how Joseph had first asked them if they had a father and a brother?  He told him how hard it was to bring back Benjamin because their father's life was 'bound up' in the lad, being the only son left from Rachel. He told how the brother of Benjamin was dead and if anything happened now that Benjamin did not come back to him, he would surely die of grief.  Judah told him how he had become surety for Benjamin and would give his own life if he did not bring him back to their father."

7.  Let's look at the first verse of chapter 45 to see Joseph's reaction to this and what happens.

• Genesis 45:1-2 -

In our next lesson, we will look at that account and it is so moving!

Application:

What is the purpose of Joseph planting the cup in Benjamin's sack and telling the brothers he will keep Benjamin there and they will go since they are 'innocent' of the crime? Benjamin was the only brother not involved in what had happened to Joseph 20 years prior.  By telling Judah and the others they were 'innocent', Judah was not thinking of the cup in the sack at all; he was remembering what he and the others had done to their brother Joseph and how they were truly the 'guilty' ones.

When the brothers bow down to Joseph and they have such a humble attitude of willingness to lay down their own lives in his place, Joseph sees a truly repentant heart in them.  Things have changed and they are truly different in the way they handle this.

• the brothers who were filled with the fury of jealousy at the favoritism shown to Joseph, now do not react when Benjamin is given five times more than they are for dinner.
• the brothers who abandoned Joseph will not desert Benjamin
• the brothers who sold Joseph for small change now offer themselves in exchange for their brother
• the brothers who lied to their father, now plead for mercy on his behalf

This true state of humility and repentance brings brokenness to the brothers and to Joseph as well as we see in Genesis 45:1-2, he wept so loud that the entire household of Pharaoh heard him crying.  He had to reveal himself to his brothers and we will see the rest of that in the next lesson.  For today, let's think about what repentance means and if we have truly repented of sin, first, to repent of being a sinner to become a believer.  Next, to repent of our sins wholeheartedly to continue in our progression of the faith as a Christain.

8.  Using a Bible dictionary from home or online, find the definition of repentance and write it out:

 

Note:  True repentance will bring hatred of sin and a brokenness that we have hurt the heart of a Holy God and offended His righteousness.  It is a change of mind that will bring a change of heart and evidence of a changed lifestyle; one that desires to please God.

9.  Write out and comment on these verses:

• Isaiah 57:15-19 -
• Isaiah 66:1-2 -
• Psalm 34:18-19 -
• James 4:10 -
• I Peter 5:5-7-

10. What are the evidences of true repentance (godly sorrow) rather than just being sorrowful of the consequences?

• 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 -

 

Your summary and prayer today:

 

 

 

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