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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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?

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 you shall overtake them, and say to them, Why have you returned evil for good?

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.

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

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

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

7 And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes? God forbid that thy seruants should do such a thing.

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

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?

If we brought back to you 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 your lord?

9 With whomesoeuer of thy seruants it bee found, let him dye, and we also will be my lordes bondmen.

With whoever of your servants you shall find the cup, let him die; and, moreover, we will be servants to our 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.

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

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

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

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

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

13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, and went againe into the citie.

And they tore their garments, and laid each man his sack on his ass, 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.

And Judas and his brethren came in to Joseph, while he was yet there, and fell on 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?

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

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.

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 your servants; behold, we are slaves to our lord, both we and he with whom the cup has been found.

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.

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 you go up with safety to your father.

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.

And Judas drew near him, and said, I pray, Sir, let your servant speak a word before you, and be not angry with your servant, for you are next to Pharao.

19 My Lord asked his seruants, saying, Haue ye a father, or a brother?

Sir, you asked your servants, saying, Have you 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 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.

21 Now thou saidest vnto thy seruants, Bring him vnto me, that I may set mine eye vpon him.

And you said to they servants, Bring him down to me, and I will take care of him.

22 And we answered my lord, The childe can not depart from his father: for if he leaue his father, his father would die.

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.

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 they servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, you shall not see my face again.

24 So when we came vnto thy seruant our father, and shewed him what my lord had sayd,

And it came to pass, when we went up to your servant our father, we reported to him the words of our lord.

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

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

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.

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

And your servant our 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.

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

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)

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

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)

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)

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

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

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

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