Genesis 44

1 Afterward he commanded his steward, saying, Fill the mens sackes with foode, as much as they can carry, and put euery mans money in his sackes mouth.

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, I meane the siluer cup, in the sackes mouth of the yongest, and his corne money. And he did according to the commandement that Ioseph gaue him.

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 And in the morning the men were sent away, they, and their asses.

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

4 And when they went out of the citie not farre off, Ioseph sayd to his stewarde, Vp, follow after the men: and when thou doest ouertake them, say vnto them, Wherefore haue ye rewarded euill 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 that not the cuppe, wherein my Lord drinketh? and in the which he doeth deuine and prophecie? ye haue done euill in so doing.

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

6 And when he ouertooke them, he sayde those wordes vnto them.

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

7 And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes? God forbid that thy seruants should 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 which we found in our sackes mouthes, wee brought againe to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steale out of thy lordes house siluer or golde?

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 whomesoeuer of thy seruants it bee found, let him dye, and we also will be my lordes 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 then let it be according vnto your wordes: he with whome it is found, shall be my seruant, and ye shalbe blamelesse.

“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 Then at once euery man tooke downe his sacke to the grounde, and euery one opened his sacke.

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

12 And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the yongest: and the cuppe was found in Beniamins sacke.

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 laded euery man his asse, and went againe into the citie.

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

14 So Iudah and his brethren came to Iosephs house (for he was yet there) and they fel before him on 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 Then Ioseph sayd vnto them, What acte is this, which ye haue done? know ye not that such a man as I, can deuine and prophecie?

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

16 Then sayd Iudah, What shall we say vnto my lord? what shall we speake? and howe can we iustifie our selues? God hath found out the wickednesse of thy seruants: beholde, we are seruants to my Lord, both wee, and he, with whome the cuppe is founde.

“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 he answered, God forbid, that I should doe so, but the man, with whome the cuppe is founde, he shalbe my seruant, and go ye in peace vnto 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 Iudah drewe neere vnto him, and sayde, O my Lord, let thy seruant nowe speake a worde in my lordes eares, and let not thy wrath be kindled against thy seruant: for thou art euen 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 seruants, saying, Haue ye a father, or a brother?

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

20 And we answered my Lord, We haue a father that is olde, and a young childe, which he begate in his age: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loueth 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 Now thou saidest vnto thy seruants, Bring him vnto me, that I may set mine eye vpon him.

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

22 And we answered my lord, The childe can not depart from his father: for if he leaue 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 Then saydest thou vnto thy seruants, Except your yonger brother come downe with you, looke in 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 So when we came vnto thy seruant our father, and shewed him what my lord had sayd,

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

25 And our father sayde vnto vs, Goe againe, bye vs a litle foode,

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

26 Then we answered, We can not go downe: but if our yongest brother go with vs, then will we go downe: for we may not see the mans face, except our yongest brother be with vs.

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 Then thy seruant my father sayde vnto vs, Ye knowe that my wife bare me two sonnes,

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, Of a suretie he is torne in pieces, and I sawe him not since.

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

29 Nowe yee take this also away from me: if death take him, then yee shall bring my graye head in sorowe to the graue. (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 Nowe therefore, when I come to thy seruant my father, and the childe be not with vs (seeing that his life dependeth on the childes 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 Then when hee shall see that the childe is not come, he will die: so shall thy seruants bring the graye head of thy seruant our father with sorowe to the graue. (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 Doubtlesse thy seruant became suertie for the childe to my father, and said, If I bring him not vnto thee againe, then I will beare the blame vnto my father for euer.

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 Nowe therefore, I pray thee, let me thy seruant bide for the childe, as a seruant to my Lord, and let the childe go vp 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 can I go vp to my father, if the childe be not with me, vnlesse I woulde see the euil that shall 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.”