בראשית, פרק מ״ג, פסוק כ״ב

The brothers stand before the steward of Joseph's house in deep anxiety, desperately trying to clear their names of any suspicion of theft. Their plea is a mix of sheer panic and logical defense. To establish their credibility, they first point out that they brought additional funds with them. This extra payment serves as clear proof that their intentions were honest from the very day they left home to purchase more grain [בכור שור]. By emphasizing that this new money was fully in their hands, they show they were entirely prepared to pay the required price the moment they took the food [העמק דבר].

The brothers then explain the reasoning behind their actions. They brought fresh funds for the new food while also bringing back the original money, just in case it rightfully belonged to Egypt. They justify not returning the original funds immediately upon their arrival by explaining that they were genuinely unsure to whom the money actually belonged in the first place [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].

Concluding their defense, the brothers declare that they have no idea who placed the money in their sacks. Logically and chronologically, this detail should have been mentioned earlier in their story. However, because they are speaking out of immense fear, they circle back to end on the very issue that sparked their panic, which is the terrifying thought of being accused of theft [שד"ל]. Through this declaration, they insist they are completely free of any wrongdoing. They might not know how the money got there, but they are fully prepared to pay for everything [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They also subtly suggest that they might be the victims of a trick played on them without their knowledge, maintaining their own absolute innocence [ביאור יש"ר].

Seeing their intense fear for their lives, the steward steps in to calm them and absolve them of any guilt. He explains that the money they found was actually a hidden treasure granted to them by God. He then confirms that their original payment had reached him exactly as it should have. By doing so, he lifts all suspicion from their shoulders, assuring them that they have absolutely nothing to fear [אלשיך].