“And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.”
We may not by this example use any unlawful practices, seeing God hath commanded us to walk in simplicity.
“Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. divineth: or, maketh trial?”
Because the people thought he could divine, he attributeth to himself that knowledge: or else he feigneth that he consulted with soothsayers for it: Which simulation is worthy to be reproved.
“Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.”
To signify how greatly the thing displeased them, and how sorry they were for it.
“And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.”
If we see no evident cause of our affliction, let us look to the secret counsel of God, who punisheth us justly for our sins.
“Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.”
Equal in authority or, next unto the king.
“My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?”
Cross references: : Gen. 42:13 , 16
“And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.”
Hebrew, child of his old age .
“And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:”
Rachel bare to Jacob, Joseph and Benjamin.
“And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.”
Ye shall cause me to die for sorrow.
“Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;”
Hebrew, his soul is bound to his soul .
“For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. come: Heb. find my father”
Meaning, he had rather remain their prisoner, than to return and see his father in heaviness.