Readers Guide: “The Word for Today” Friday, September 28, 2012 Read – Genesis 43 & 44 The story continues adding suspense to the story as Joseph’s brothers – unaware of who Joseph is – need to return again because they are once again without food. They know they must bring Benjamin with them – but Benjamin, the only full-brother of Joseph and the favorite of their father just as Joseph was, is not easily released by his father Jacob. Playing favorites is still a part of this family story. But Joseph’s brothers have changed – just like Jacob was changed – and they are no longer jealous of the favorite – in fact they go to all ends to protect him. When they arrive in Egypt, Benjamin in tow, Joseph traps them by placing his “diviner’s cup” in Benjamin’s bag and demands that the thief be left behind. All the rest of the brothers can go. But they all volunteer to take Benjamin’s place – quite a change of heart from the heartless brothers who sold Joseph into slavery in the first place. Incidentally, we should stop to pause at the comments by the author of Joseph having a “diviner’s cup.” There are elements in this story that do not match well with what we might expect to hear and usually we just pass over them. Maybe the story is not as pure and simple as we might think. This is an incredibly creative story filled with suspense. Reading or hearing it for the first time leads us to hope for a good ending.