וְאֶת־גְּבִיעִ֞י גְּבִ֣יעַ הַכֶּ֗סֶף תָּשִׂים֙ בְּפִי֙ אַמְתַּ֣חַת הַקָּטֹ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת כֶּ֣סֶף שִׁבְר֑וֹ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כִּדְבַ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר׃
“Put my silver goblet in the mouth of the youngest one’s bag, together with his money for the rations.” And he did as Yosef had spoken.
Midrash Tanchuma, Miketz 10:9; Bereshit Rabbah 92:6. The sources explicitly include Yosef’s placement of the silver goblet in the youngest brother’s sack.
The Midrash presents the goblet placement as part of Yosef’s deliberate setup. It then connects the timing of the brothers’ departure with the subsequent pursuit and accusation.
What Is Learned: The goblet is not an incidental detail: it is deliberately placed as the instrument through which Yosef brings about the next stage of the brothers’ confrontation.