A Thief Among the Brothers

The next day, while their bags were being filled with grain to load onto the camels, Joseph ordered one of his attendants to place the king's gold cup which was used for measuring the grain into Benjamin's saddlebag. When the brothers were ready to set out, the gates were locked, and the court crier shouted: "O you travelers, you are thieves!" The accusation was most unusual, and the people gathered around Joseph's brothers.

"What have you lost?" his brothers inquired.

A soldier said: 'The king's golden cup. Whoever can trace it we will give a beast-load of grain."

Joseph's brothers said with all innocence: "We have not come here to corrupt the land and steal."

Joseph's officers said (as he had instructed them): "What punishment should you choose for the thief?" The brothers answered: "According to our law, whoever steals becomes a slave to the owner of the property."

The officers agreed: "We shall apply your law instead of the Egyptian law, which provides for imprisonment."

The chief officer ordered his soldiers to start searching the caravan. Joseph was watching the incident from high upon his throne. He had given instructions for Benjamin's bag to be the last to be searched. When they did not find the cup in the bags of the ten older brothers, the brothers sighed in relief.