After their festive and hearty meal, Joseph tells his servant to pack up his brothers' bags with grain and to give them back the money they used to pay for it. Then, he tells the servant to put a silver cup in Banjamin's bag too.
Joseph sends them all on their way, without telling them who he really is. Then, when they're a short distance away, he sends his servant after them to ask why they stole the silver cup. (Can you see where this is going?)
The servant catches up to them and accuses them of taking the cup. They're all like, "What are you smoking? We wouldn't do such a thing."
Then they say, "if any one of us if found to have it, he will be put to death, and the rest of us will become your slaves." [Genesis 44:9]
The bags are searched and the cup is found among Benjamin's things (let this be a lesson to you all... always check your bag before leaving Joseph's house). They're all befuddled, but the evidence is right there and pretty tough to dispute, so they go back to Joseph to face their punishment.
They offer themselves up as Joseph's slaves, but Joseph is like, "no, no, I just want Benjamin. The rest of you can go home." (Remember, Benjamin is his only full brother here.)
Then Judah goes to Joseph and pleads to let Benjamin return, saying he'll serve in his place.
Judah: "I pledged my life to my father for the boy. I told him that if I did not bring the boy back to him, I would bear the blame all my life. And now, sir, I will stay here as your slave in place of the boy; let him go back with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I cannot bear to see this disaster come upon my father." [Genesis 44:32-34]
Is it just me, or is this whole situation really weird and awkward? If this were a movie, everyone in the audience would be yelling, "this is lame! He's your brother, dumbass."
But, alas, here we are.
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