Genesis 44

1 And Joseph charged the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put the money of each in the mouth of his sack.

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 silver cup into the sack of the youngest, and the price of his corn. And it was done according to the word of Joseph, as he said.

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 The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their asses.

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

4 And when they had gone out of the city, [and] were not far off, then Joseph said to his steward, Arise, and pursue after the men; and thou shalt overtake them, and say to them, Why have ye returned evil for good?

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 Why have ye stolen my silver cup? is it not this out of which my lord drinks? and he divines augury with it; ye have accomplished evil in that which ye have done.

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

6 And he found them, and spoke to them according to these words.

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

7 And they said to him, Why does our lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word.

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

8 If we brought back to thee out of the land of Chanaan the money which we found in our sacks, how should we steal silver or gold out of the house of thy lord?

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 master's house silver or gold?

9 With whomsoever of thy servants thou shalt find the cup, let him die; and, moreover, we will be servants to our lord.

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

10 And he said, Now then it shall be as ye say; with whomsoever the cup shall be found, he shall be my servant, and ye shall be clear.

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 And they hasted, and took down every man his sack on the ground, and they opened every man his sack.

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

12 And he searched, beginning from the eldest, until he came to the youngest; and he found the cup in Benjamin's sack.

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

13 And they rent their garments, and laid each man his sack on his ass, and returned to the city.

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

14 And Judas and his brethren came in to Joseph, while he was yet there, and fell on the ground before him.

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 to them, What is this thing that ye have done? know ye not that a man such as I can surely divine?

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 Judas said, What shall we answer to our lord, or what shall we say, or wherein should we be justified? whereas God has discovered the unrighteousness of thy servants; behold, we are slaves to our lord, both we and he with whom the cup has been found.

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

17 And Joseph said, Far be it from me to do this thing; the man with whom the cup has been found, he shall be my servant; but do ye go up with safety to your father.

And he said, Elohim 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 And Judas drew near him, and said, I pray, Sir, let thy servant speak a word before thee, and be not angry with thy servant, for thou art next to Pharao.

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

19 Sir, thou askedst thy servants, saying, Have ye a father or a brother?

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

20 And we said to [my] lord, We have a father, an old man, and he has a son of his old age, a young one, and his brother is dead, and he alone has been left behind to his mother, and his father loves him.

And we said unto my master, 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 to they servants, Bring him down to me, and I will take care of him.

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

22 And we said to [my] lord, The child will not be able to leave his father; but if he should leave his father, he will die.

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

23 But thou saidst to they servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, ye shall not see my face again.

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 went up to thy servant our father, we reported to him the words of our lord.

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

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

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

26 And we said, We shall not be able to go down; but if our younger brother go down with us, we will go down; for we shall not be able to see the man's face, our younger brother not being with us.

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 our father said to us, Ye know that my wife bore me two [sons];

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

28 and one is departed from me; and ye said that he was devoured of wild beasts, and I have not seen him until now.

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

29 If then ye take this one also from my presence, and an affliction happen to him by the way, then shall ye bring down my old age with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

30 Now then, if I should go in to they servant, and our father, and the boy should not be with us, (and his life depends on this [lad's] life)

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 even come to pass, when he sees the boy is not with us, [that] he will die, and thy servants will bring down the old age of thy servant, and our father, with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

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. (Sheol h7585)

32 For thy servant has received the boy [in charge] from his father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, and place him before thee, I shall be guilty towards my father for ever.

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 then I will remain a servant with thee instead of the lad, a domestic of my lord; but let the lad go up with his brethren.

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

34 For how shall I go up to my father, the lad not being with us? lest I behold the evils which will befall my father.

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.