The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Parallel translations
- WEB He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
- KJV And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
- NKJV So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
- NASB And he searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
- NLT The palace manager searched the brothers’ sacks, from the oldest to the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The steward searches in order of age and finds the cup in Benjamin's sack. The planted evidence falls on the most beloved and vulnerable brother.
Overview
The deliberate search from oldest to youngest heightens the suspense until the cup appears in Benjamin's sack. Joseph has engineered the worst possible outcome to test whether the brothers will sacrifice Rachel's son. The moment mirrors their earlier betrayal of Joseph and forces a decision that will reveal whether they have truly changed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Gen 43:14May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
- Gen 43:33They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
- Gen 44:26–32But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’
- Gen 44:2Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.
- Gen 42:36–38Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 44:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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