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.

And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top 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.

And in the mouth of the younger’s sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done.

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

And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses.

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?

And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way; Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good?

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

The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing.

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

He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words.

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

And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?

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?

The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord’s house, gold or silver?

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

With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen 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.”

And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless.

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

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

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

Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.

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

Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.

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

And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph, (for he was not yet gone out of the place), and they altogether fell down before him on the ground.

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

And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.

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.”

And Juda said to him: 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 my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.

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.”

Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father.

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.

Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art,

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

My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you 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.’

And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly.

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

And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him.

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

We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die.

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

And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more.

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

Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said.

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

And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat.

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.’

And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man’s face.

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

Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two.

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

One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not.

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.’ (Sheol h7585)

If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. (Sheol h7585)

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,

Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him, )

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. (Sheol h7585)

And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. (Sheol h7585)

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.’

Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever.

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

Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.

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.”

For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.