February 6

It is significant that Jospeh planted the silver cup as this false accusation of thievery parallels the false accusation of rape posed against him while working for the people his brothers sold him to. He wanted to find justice through letting them experience the fear he felt. But more importantly, he planted the silver cup as he ultimately wanted to test his brothers’ solidarity with Benjamin. Through their reaction to this accusation, he would know if they truly had changed or still felt guilt for what they did to him. This is because Joseph and Benjamin are both very similar to each other: both are the only sons of Rachel and are the beloved sons. The brothers could’ve perceived this accusation as the work of a higher power, after all, Benjamin’s imprisonment or death would solve the problem of Jacob’s favoritism and threat to their birthrights. However, they rather endanger themselves and beg to keep him. Judah, the most guilty in the selling of Joseph, even redeems himself further personally offering himself in the place of Benjamin. Not only are they demonstrated solidarity with their brother merely because he is their brother, a grace they failed to offer Joseph, they demonstrate their newfound compassion for their father. Jacob didn’t want to give up his remaining son and claims that he would die if anything were to happen to him. But Joseph, or who they thought at the time was the viser, demanded the youngest brother or they “would not see his face again.” (A line which has two meanings: one of Jacob would not meet them again until they brought Ben and also that they would not recognize him until they time again in which they bring Ben). So they were forced to bring Benjamin although cautiously. Now they acknowledge the pain they would inflict on Jacob if his beloved son were lost, a fact that they ignored for their own personal gain when betraying Joseph. When Joseph  sees how they now have evolved in their handling of the beloved son based on the way they treat the second beloved son, he forgives them. He forgives them because they now are “like people with a new heart and spirit.” This ties into the overall characterization of the Old Testament: the theme of death and resurrection. The brothers suffered a kind of death, the betrayal of family and a plaguing of guilt and the witnessing of the grief of their father, and now are resurrected through their treatment of Benjamin and Joseph’s forgiveness. In conclusion, the silver cup passage not only highlights the significance of the beloved son it also ties into the larger theme of death and resurrection.