Genesis 44

1 Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.

2 Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.

3 At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.

4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?

5 Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”

6 When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

7 “Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.

8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?

9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”

10 “As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”

11 So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

12 The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

14 When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

15 “What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”

16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”

17 But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”

18 Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself.

19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

20 And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

21 Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’

22 So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’

23 But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’

24 Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.

25 Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’

26 But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’

27 And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.

28 When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.

29 Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’

30 So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life,

31 sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.

32 Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’

33 Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.

34 For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”

1 ¶ And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks [with] food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.

2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

4 [And] when they were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

5 [Is] not this [it] in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.

7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' 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?

9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.

10 And he said, Now also [let] it [be] according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

12 And he searched, [and] began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he [was] yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed [is] this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we [are] my lord's servants, both we, and [he] also with whom the cup is found.

17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: [but] the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

18 ¶ Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou [art] even as Pharaoh.

19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for [if] he should leave his father, [his father] would die.

23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 And our father said, Go again, [and] buy us a little food.

26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother [be] with us.

27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two [sons]:

28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad [be] not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad [is] not [with us], that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad [be] not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

1 And Joseph commanded his steward, saying, Fill the men's sacks with meat, as much as they may carry, and put every man's money in the top of his sack.

2 And put my silver cup in the top of the young man's sack with the money for the corn. And he did as Joseph had said unto him.

3 And it came to pass in the morning, when it was light, that they sent the men away with their asses.

4 And when they were gone out of the city, and were not far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Go, pursue after the men, and when thou seest them, speak unto them: Why have ye requited good with evil?

5 Is not this that my lord drinketh of, and that he may know? Ye have done evil.

6 And when he had taken hold of them, he spake unto them these words.

7 And they said unto him, Why saith my lord these words? Far be it from thy servants to do such a thing.

8 Behold, the money that we found in the top of our sacks we have brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan. How then should we have stolen silver or gold out of the house of thy lord?

9 With whomsoever he be found among thy servants, let him be put to death: and we also will be my lord's servants.

10 And he said, Yea, it shall be as ye have spoken. With whomsoever he be found, let him be my servant: but ye shall be free.

11 And they hasted, and laid every man his sackcloth upon the earth, and opened every man his sackcloth.

12 And he searched, and began at the greatest unto the last: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13 And they rent their clothes, and loaded every man upon his ass, and returned into the city.

14 And Judah went with his brethren into Joseph's house, because he was yet there: and they fell down to the ground before him.

15 And Joseph said unto them: How have ye been able to do this? Know ye not that such a man as I am might guess?

16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord, or how shall we speak, and what shall we justify ourselves? God hath found the iniquity of thy servants. Behold, we and he with whom the cup is found are my lord's servants.

17 And he said, Far be it from me to do this thing. The man with whom the cup is found shall be my servant: but go ye up in peace unto your father.

18 And Judah came to him, and said, My lord, let thy servant speak a word in thine ears, my lord; and let not thine anger be kindled against thy servant: for thou art as Pharaoh.

19 And my lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye also a father, or a brother?

20 Then answered we: We have a father that is old, and a young lad born in his old age; and his brother is dead, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father loveth him.

21 Then saidst thou unto thy servants: Bring him down unto me, and I will shew him mercy.

22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot come from his father: if he came from him, he would die.

23 Then saidst thou unto thy servants: Where your youngest brother cometh not hither with you, ye shall see my face no more.

24 Then we went up unto thy servant my father, and told him my lord's speech.

25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little meat.

26 And we said: We cannot go down, except our youngest brother be with us, and we will go down: for we cannot see the man's face, where our youngest brother is not with us.

27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife hath borne me two sons.

28 One went out from me, and was said to be torn: and have not seen him hitherto.

29 If ye also take this man from me, and an accident befall him, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow into the pit.

30 Now if I came home to thy servant my father, and the lad were not with us, because his soul clave unto this soul,

31 And it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not there, that he shall die: then shall we thy servants bring the gray hairs of thy servant, our father, into the pit with sorrow of heart:

32 For I thy servant became surety for the lad against my father, saying, If I bring him not again unto thee, I will bear the iniquity all my life.

33 Therefore let thy servant abide here in the lad's stead, the servant of my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

34 For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? I would have to see the wretchedness that would meet my father.