1 Then he commanded his house steward, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 “Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph had told him. 3 As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys. 4 They had just gone out of the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, “Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, `Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 `Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.'”
6 So he overtook them and spoke these words to them. 7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing. 8 “Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” 10 So he said, “Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” 11 Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12 He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.
So Joseph arranges the final test for his brothers, and their reaction shows how much they have changed. They know Benjamin is Jacob’s favorite (remaining) son. They also know that losing him could send Jacob to his grave. They care deeply for their father (and Benjamin), and thus they tear their clothes in despair. But, they still need to show this change to Joseph, and their chance is still coming. They spoke rashly at first, thinking there was no way that Joseph’s silver cup would be in their possession, but that rashness would be their undoing. Fortunately for them, this is only a test, or they would be in deeper trouble than they could imagine.