A few chapters back, I mentioned it would be a good time to talk about theater as a a metaphor for life. I wrote that copy before recording the scripture reading and the discussion. I then immediately forgot that I had even said that. The analogy will work anywhere between Genesis 40 and 50, and really the first chapter of Exodus. So let’s read Genesis 44 then I will explain what I mean about the theater.

Genesis 44

Joseph commanded the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.

2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his grain money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys.

4 They had not gone very far when Joseph said to his steward “Follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them “Why have you rewarded evil for good?

5 Is this not the cup from which my lord drinks and uses for divination? What you have done is evil.”

6 And he overtook them and spoke these exact words.

7 They said to him “Why are you saying these things my lord? God forbid that your servants should do such a thing. 

8 Behold, the money which we found in our sacks’ mouths we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?

9 Whoever it is found with of your servants, let him die and we will be your slaves.” 

10 He said “Now let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and you shall be blameless.”

11 Then every man quickly took down his sack to the ground and they opened them. 

12 And he searched, beginning with the eldest and finishing at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

14 Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, for he was still there. And they fell on the ground before him.

15 Joseph said to them “What is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man such as I can practice divination?”

16 Judah said “What can we say to my lord? What shall we speak? How can we defend ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: behold, we are your slaves, both we the one found with your cup.”

17 And he said “God forbid that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found shall be my slave and the rest of you get back to your father in peace.”

18 Then Judah came near and said “Oh my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not let your anger burn against me, for you are like Pharaoh.

19 My lord asked his servants ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

20 And we said to my lord ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one, and his brother is dead. He alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.’

21 And you said to your servants ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.’

22 We said to my lord ‘The child cannot leave his father, for if he should leave him his father would die. 

23 And thou said to your servants ‘Except your youngest brother come down with you, you will not see my face again.’

24 When we came up to your servant, my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 Our father said ‘Go again, and buy us a little food.’

26 And we said ‘We cannot go down; if our youngest brother goes with us, then will we go down. For we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’

27 And your servant, my father, said to us ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.

28 The one went out from me and I said “Surely he is torn in pieces” and I have not seen him since:

29 And if you take this one from me also, and something bad happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.’

30 Now when I come to your servant my father, and the child is not with us, because his life is bound up in the child’s life;

31 When he sees that the child is not with us he will die: and your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of our father with sorrow to the grave.

32 For your servant made a guarantee to my father, saying ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever.’

33 Now then, please, let your servant stay and become a slave to my lord, and let the child go home with his brothers. 

34 For how can I go back to my father and the child not be with me? I fear that I would see the evil that shall come on my father.