Joyfully they set out on their return. Simeon and Benjamin were with them, their animals were laden with grain, and all felt that they had safely escaped the perils that had seemed to surround them. But they had only reached the outskirts of the city when they were overtaken by the governor's steward, who uttered the scathing inquiry, "Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing." This cup was supposed to possess the power of detecting any poisonous substance placed therein. At that day cups of this kind were highly valued as a safeguard against murder by poisoning. To the steward's accusation the travelers answered, "Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: behold, the money, which we found in our sack's mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?" With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen."

Da alle havde fået plads, forbavsedes brødrene over at de sad nøjagtigt efter alder. Josef "lod dem bringe mad fra sit eget bord" men Benjamin fik fem gange så meget som hver af de andre. Ved denne gunstbevisning håbede Josef at finde ud af, om den yngste broder blev betragtet med samme misundelse og had, som de havde vist ham. Da brødrene stadig troede, at Josef ikke forstod deres sprog, talte de frit med hinanden. Derved fik han rig lejlighed til at lære deres virkelige følelser at kende. Men han ønskede at sætte dem yderligere på prøve, og inden de rejste, befalede han, at hans eget drikkebæger af sølv skulle skjules i den yngstes sæk.