John Calvin Commentary Genesis 44:7

"And they said unto him, Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing." — Genesis 44:7 (ASV)

And they said to him. The sons of Jacob boldly excuse themselves, because a good conscience gives them confidence. They also argue from the greater to the less: for they contend, that their having voluntarily brought back the money, which they might with impunity have applied to their own use, was such a proof of their honesty, as to make it incredible that they should have been so blinded by a little gain, as to bring upon themselves the greatest disgrace, together with immediate danger of their lives.

They, therefore, declared themselves ready to submit to any punishment, if they were found guilty of the theft. When the cup was discovered in Benjamin’s sack, Moses does not relate any of their complaints; but only declares, that they testified the most bitter grief by rending their garments. I do not doubt that they were struck dumb by the unexpected result; for they were confounded, not only by the magnitude of their grief, but by perceiving themselves to be liable to punishment, for that of which their conscience did not accuse them.

Therefore, when they come into the presence of Joseph, they confess the injury, not because they acknowledge that the crime has been committed by them, but because excuse would be of no avail; as if they would say, “It is of no use to deny a thing which is self-evident.” In this sense, they say that their iniquity has been found out by God; because, although they had some secret suspicion of fraud, thinking that this had been a scheme to bring an unjust charge against them, they choose rather to trace the cause of their punishment to the secret judgment of God.

Some interpreters believe that they here confessed their crime committed against Joseph; but that opinion is easily refuted, because they constantly affirm that he had been torn by a wild beast, or had perished by some accident.

Therefore, the more simple meaning is that which I have adduced: that although the truth of the matter is not apparent, yet they are punished by God as guilty persons. They do not, however, speak hypocritically; but being troubled and astonished in their perplexed affairs, there is nothing left for them but the consciousness that this punishment is inflicted by the secret judgment of God.

And I wish that those who, when struck by the rod of God, do not immediately perceive the cause, would adopt the same course; and when they find that men are unjustly angry with them, would recall the secret judgments of God, which should humble us.

Moreover, since Judah speaks in the name of them all, we may from this infer that he had already obtained precedence among his brothers. And Moses exhibits him as their head and chief, when he expressly states that he and the rest came. For though the dignity of primogeniture had not yet been conferred upon him by the solemn judgment of his father, yet it was intended for him.

Certainly, in taking the post of speaker for the rest, his authority appears in his language. Again, it is necessary to recall, in reference to the language of Joseph, what I have said before: that although at first he had tried to ascribe the glory to God, he now sins in pretending that he is a soothsayer or diviner.

Some, to lessen the fault, say that the allusion is not to the art of augury, but to his skill in judging; there is, however, no need to resort to strained interpretations for the sake of excusing the man. For he speaks according to the common understanding of the multitude, and thus foolishly endorses the prevailing view.