I had written previously about how, especially in Genesis 38, Juda comes off as a sinful, wayward figure. Well, he has quite redeemed himself now in Genesis 44. After Joseph's contrivance to bring his brothers back to Egypt and specifically to keep Benjamin there with him, Juda delivers an impassioned plea to allow Benjamin to return to Jacob in Canaan. I found his speech powerful and full of remorse. It is yet another example that the way to approach God is through humility. Juda openly admits that he has sinned in the past, yet pleads for mercy from Joseph:
"What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to our lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found." (Genesis 44:16)
Nowadays, the general attitude is "what did I do to deserve this?!" or "why is God punishing me?!" When we ought to be saying "I completely deserve this and more" and "God has every right to punish me." Juda understood this, and for it he was rewarded.
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