Genesis 44

1 And he commanded him who was over his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry; and put every man's money in the mouth of his sack.

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 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain-money. And he did according to the word of Joseph which he had spoken.

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 In the morning, when it was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

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

4 They were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off, when Joseph said to him who was over his house, Up! follow after the men; and when thou overtakest them, thou shalt say to them, Why have ye rewarded evil for good?

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 not this [it] in which my lord drinks, and in which indeed he divines? Ye have done evil [in] what ye have done.

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

6 And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these words.

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

7 And they said to him, Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from thy servants to do such a thing!

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

8 Behold, the money that we found in our sacks' mouths we have brought again to thee from the land of Canaan; and how should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

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

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

10 And he said, Now also [let] it [be] according to your words: let him with whom it is found be my bondman, but ye shall be blameless.

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

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

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

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

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

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

14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; and he was still there; and they fell down before him to the ground.

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

15 And Joseph said to them, What deed is this which ye have done? Did ye not know that such a man as I can certainly divine?

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

16 And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak, and how justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he in whose hand the cup has been found.

“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 And he said, Far be it from me to do so! The man in whose hand the cup has been found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.

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 came near to him, and said, Ah! 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.

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, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

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

20 And we said to my lord, We have an aged father, and a child born to him in his old age, [yet] young; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.

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 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set mine eye on him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26 But we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down; for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.

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

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

28 and the one went out from me, and I said, He must certainly have been torn in pieces; and I have not seen him [again] hitherto.

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

29 And if ye take this one also from me, and mischief should befall him, ye will bring down my grey hairs with misery to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

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)

30 And now, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us, — seeing that his life is bound up with his life,

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 it will come to pass when he sees that the lad is not [there], that he will die; and thy servants will bring down the grey hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

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)

32 For thy servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, then I shall be guilty toward my father all my days.

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 And now, let thy servant stay, I pray thee, instead of the lad a bondman to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren;

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 should I go up to my father if the lad were not with me? — lest I see the evil that would come on my father.

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