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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3
to overtake them, and inquire why they had rewarded evil for good,
by taking the silver cup belonging to the king, whereby, indeed, he
divineth.
Kings and rulers had a cup from which they drank, which was
considered a sure detective if any poisonous substance was placed
in their drink. “And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my Lord
these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this
thing. Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we
brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan. How then should
we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold? With whomsoever
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of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my
lord’s bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your
words. He with whom it is found shall be my servant, and ye shall
be blameless. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to
the ground, and, opened every man his sack. And he searched, and
began at the eldest, and left at the youngest; and the cup was found in
Benjamin’s sack.”
At this discovery all were greatly surprised, and, to express their
great distress, they rent their garments, which was the custom when
in great affliction. Benjamin was more amazed and confounded than
his brethren. They returned into the city sorrowful and afraid. They
thought that the hand of God was against them for their past wicked-
ness. By their own promise, Benjamin was appointed to a life of
slavery. And the fears of their father they thought would be fully
realized. Mischief had befallen his much loved Benjamin.
Judah had pledged himself to be surety for Benjamin. “And Judah
and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there, and
they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What
deed is this that ye have done? Wot ye not that such a man as I can
certainly divine?” Joseph asked this question to draw forth from his
brethren an acknowledgment of their past wrong course, that their
true feelings might be more fully revealed. He did not claim any
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power of divination, but was willing his brethren should believe that
he could read the secret acts of their lives. “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.” Judah told his brethren that God had found out their iniquity