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.
Joseph ordered his household supervisor, “Fill the men's sacks with as much grain as they can hold and put each man's money at 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.
Then put my special silver cup at the top of the sack of the youngest, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph told him.
3 At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
At sunrise they 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?
They had hardly left the city when Joseph told his household supervisor, “Go after those men, and when you catch up with them, ask them, ‘Why have you paid back good with evil by stealing my master's silver cup?
5 Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”
This is the cup he personally drinks from, and which he uses for divination. What you've done is really evil!’”
6 When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
When he caught up with them, he told them what Joseph had said.
7 “Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
“My lord, what are you saying?” they replied. “We your servants wouldn't do anything like that!
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?
Remember that we brought back the money we found at the top of our sacks when we returned from Canaan. 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.”
If any one of us is found with it, he shall die, and all of us will become your slaves.”
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.”
“Whatever you say,” the man replied, “but only the one found with it will become my slave since the rest of you will be free of any blame.”
11 So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
They all unloaded their sacks and put them on the ground. They each opened their own sacks.
12 The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
The household supervisor searched the sacks, beginning with the oldest and working his way down to the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13 Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
The brothers tore their clothes in grief. Then they loaded their sacks back on their donkeys and headed back 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.
Joseph was still at home when Judah and his brothers arrived, 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?”
“Why did you do this?” Joseph asked. “Don't you know a man like me can find out things through divination?”
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.”
“My lord, what can we say?” Judah replied. “How can we explain this to you? In what way can we prove our innocence? God has exposed the guilt of your servants. My lord, we are your slaves—all of us, including 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.”
“I wouldn't do anything like that!” Joseph replied. “Only the man who was found with the cup will become my slave. The rest of you are free to return 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.
Judah came closer and said to him, “If you please, my lord, let your servant just say a word. Please don't become angry with your servant, even though you are as powerful as Pharaoh himself.
19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
My lord, previously you asked us, ‘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.’
We told you, my lord, ‘We have an elderly father, and a younger brother, born when our father was already old. The boy's brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother's children left, and his father loves him dearly.’
21 Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’
Then you ordered us, ‘Bring him here to me so I can see him.’
22 So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
We told you, ‘The boy can't leave his father; if he did, 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.’
But you told us, ‘If your youngest brother doesn't come with you, you won't see me again.’
24 Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
So when we went back to your servant, our father, we explained to him everything you had told us.
25 Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’
However, later on, our father told us, ‘Go back and buy some more 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.’
But we said, ‘There's no way we can go back unless Benjamin our youngest brother goes with us, because we won't be able to see the man if Benjamin isn't with us.’
27 And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
Then my father said to us, ‘You realize that my wife had two sons for me.
28 When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
One is no more, ripped to pieces no doubt, for I've never 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.’ (Sheol h7585)
If you take this one away from me too, and something bad happens to him, you'll send this old man to his grave in grief.’ (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,
So if the boy isn't with us when I go back to my father, whose life depends on the life of the boy,
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)
as soon as he sees the boy isn't there he'll die, and we will really send this old man, our father, to his grave in grief. (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.’
In fact I gave myself as the guarantee for the boy to my father. I told him, ‘If I don't bring him back to you, then I will always carry the blame!’
33 Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.
So please let me stay here as my lord's slave instead of the boy. Let him go back home 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.”
For how could I ever go back to my father if the boy wasn't with me? I couldn't stand seeing the anguish that would cause my father.”
