This lesson is compatible with the "Joseph" Flash-A-Cards from Abeka Books.
Scripture References: Genesis 43:32-34; 44:1-34
Zaphnath-Paaneah began to serve his guests lunch one by one. He gave each man a plate full of delicious food, going by order of birth, as the brothers had been seated in order of oldest to youngest. The brothers couldn’t understand how the Egyptians knew their birth order. When Zaphnath-Paaneah got to the last seat, Benjamin’s seat, the brothers stared down the table at Benjamin’s plate. It had FIVE TIMES as much food as the rest of them! First, the governor blessed Benjamin alone, and now he got the most food! What was going on? They decided to not worry too much about it, as the food was delicious, and they were very hungry after their long journey back to Egypt. They all had a great time during lunch at the governor’s house.
After lunch, Zaphnath-Paaneah told his steward “Fill each man’s sack with as much food as you can fit inside. And put my personal silver cup in the youngest brother’s sack. Put it at the top of the sack, and add his food money to the sack, also. The steward obeyed his master and did just as he commanded. Just as God had a plan for Joseph, Joseph had a plan for his brothers, so they could all finally be together and have true love and forgiveness among each other, and with God.
The brothers stayed the night, and in the morning the governor sent them on their way back to Canaan with their donkeys loaded with the food sacks. The brothers still didn’t know who Zaphnath-Paaneah really was. The brothers didn’t really understand what all had happened, and why they hadn’t been arrested, but they sure were happy to be getting back home with food, and with ALL the brothers together again. They knew their father Jacob would be very relieved.
The brothers had traveled out of the city and were heading toward the long country roads. About that same time, Zaphnath-Paaneah told his steward “Go and follow the 11 men. When you catch up to them say my cup was stolen.”
The brothers had been traveling for a little bit that morning, and then they heard horses coming behind them. When they turned around the saw the head servant of the governor!
When the steward caught up to them, he said just what his master had told him to say: “Why have you repaid the kindness of my master with evil? Someone took the governor’s personal silver cup. He was drinking from it at the feast yesterday and now it’s gone! You have really done my master wrong!”
The brothers were shocked! They said “We didn’t’ steal it! We even brought back the money that was in our sacks from the first time! We would never take anything from your master! Look in our sacks if you must. We are so sure that it isn’t here that if you DO find it, the person who has it will die. And the rest of us will be the governor’s slaves!”
The steward answered “Ok. We will see. The person who has it will be a slave, but the rest of you will be innocent and can go. Open your sacks, and they will be searched!”
The brothers all got their sacks down from the donkey’s backs as quickly as they could. They each opened them as the Egyptian began to look through them. He started with the oldest and finished with the youngest brother. As each one saw his sack being searched, they all became more and more confident that no one had it. They all knew it was just a big mistake, and one of the governor’s servants took it. The steward reached Benjamin’s sack, the last one, and opened it. There was a loud gasp from all of the brothers as they saw something shiny fall out onto the ground. A fancy, silver cup! The sons of Jacob all tore their clothes as a sign of great sorrow. Why had they promised that the one who had it would be a slave? Why did it have to be BENJAMIN! Their father would surely die of sorrow when he found out!
They turned their donkeys around, and all followed the Egyptians back to the governor’s house.
When they got there, Judah led the way into the house. He had promised his father that he would protect Benjamin and bring him back to Canaan safely. How would his father ever forgive him if he arrived back in Canaan without Benjamin?
The brothers entered the room where Zaphnath-Paaneah was and fell to the ground before him, bowing as low as they could.
Zaphnath-Paaneah said “What have you done? Didn’t you know a man as powerful as I am would find out you stole from me?”
Judah said “What can we say, master? How can we prove we are innocent? We can’t. God has found out our sin and we must pay. We are your slaves. All of us, including the one with the silver cup.” Judah was finally confessing to God that the brothers had done wrong so long ago when they sold their brother as a slave. He knew he could no longer run from his sin. All of the brothers (minus Benjamin who was too young at the time) knew they couldn’t hide their sin from God anymore.
Zaphnath-Paaneah said “No. I am not an unjust man. The only one who will be my slave is the one who had my cup. The rest of you go back to your father. You don’t need to worry about me arresting you or coming after you.”
Judah knew he had to do everything possible to save Benjamin. It had been his idea to sell his brother Joseph so long ago, and he couldn’t let another brother become a slave!
My lord, please let me speak to you! You are as powerful as Pharaoh. You asked us if we had a father or brother in Canaan, and we told you we had a father, and a young brother whose other brother is dead. He is the last one alive of his mother’s children. You told us to bring him here, and we have done so. Our father didn’t’ want to send him. He told us “My other son was torn to pieces by a wild animal and I have not seen him since. If you take Benjamin from me also, and something happens to him, I will die of sorrow.” My lord, if I go back to my father without Benjamin, it will kill him! He will die of sorrow. I promised my father that I would bring him back safely or take the blame forever. Please, let me be your slave, and set my brother Benjamin free. I can’t return to my father without Benjamin. I can’t see him die. It will be all my fault!”
How will Zaphnath-Paaneah answer? Will he let Judah stay in Benjamin’s place, to be his slave forever? Come back next week to find out!
God knows all of our sins, just as he knew the sins of Judah and his brothers. But Jesus died to pay for our sins, and we can have forgiveness through Him! Talk to me after class if you want to know how to have forgiveness of your sins.