The brothers invoke their prior integrity as evidence to refute the accusation. By framing their defense as a question, they appeal to the logical impossibility of their guilt rather than merely denying the charge.

The steward agreed to search but modified the proposed penalty, declaring that only the guilty party would become his slave while the others would go free (Genesis 44:10). He then searched each sack systematically from oldest to youngest, finding the silver cup in Benjamin’s sack (Genesis 44:11-12).

The question expresses the brothers’ stunned disbelief at being accused of theft. They ground their defense in demonstrable past behavior, having returned the discovered money from their previous journey despite no obligation to do so. The interrogative form allows them to appeal to reason rather than simply assert innocence. The Hebrew construction weʾêḵ (how then) signals an argument from probability, suggesting their accusers should recognize the logical inconsistency of honest men suddenly turning thieves. The question carries emotional weight beyond mere logic; it reveals wounded honor and genuine bewilderment. This rhetorical strategy reflects ancient legal customs where character witnesses and prior conduct held evidentiary value. The brothers’ confidence in their defense makes the subsequent discovery of the cup devastatingly ironic, demonstrating how human reasoning crumbles before divine orchestration.