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 commanded he him who was over his house saying—Fill the sacks of the men, with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’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.

and my cup—the cup of silver, shalt thou put in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his corn-silver. So he did, according to the word of Joseph, which he had spoken.

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

By the time, the morning, was light, the men, had been 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?

They themselves, had gone out of the city—they had not gone far, when Joseph said to him who was over his house, Rise chase after the men, —so shalt thou overtake them and shalt say unto them, Wherefore have ye requited 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.

Is not this that in which my lord drinketh, and whereby, he himself, doth divine? Ye have done evil in what ye have done.

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

So he overtook them, —and spake unto them 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 unto him, Wherefore should my lord speak such words as these? Far be thy servants, from doing such a thing as this!

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?

Lo! the silver that we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan, —how then could we steal out of the house of thy lord, silver or gold?

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

With whomsoever of thy servants it can be found, he shall die, —and, we also, will become my lord’s servants.

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, Yea, now, according to your words, so, let it be, —he with whom it is found, shall be my servant, Ye, however, shall be clear.

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

So they hastened and took down each man his sack to the ground, —and opened each 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.

Then made he thorough search, with the eldest, he began, and with the youngest, he ended, —and the cup was found in the sack of Benjamin!

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

And they rent their mantles, —and laded each man 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 Judah and his brethren came into the house of Joseph, he, yet being there, —and fell down before him to the earth.

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 deed which ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I, can even 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.

Then said Judah—What shall we say to my lord, how shall we speak and how shall we justify ourselves, —when, God himself, hath found out the iniquity of thy servants? Behold us! my lord’s servants, both we, and he in whose hand the cup hath 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 he said, Far be it from me to do this thing! The man in whose hand the cup hath been found, he, shall be my servant, but as for you, go ye up in peace unto 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.

Then Judah drew near unto him, and said—Pardon my lord! Pray let thy servant speak a word in the ears of my lord, and do not let thine anger be kindled against thy servant, —for, thus, art, thou as Pharaoh!

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

It was, my lord, who asked his servants, saying, —Have ye 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.

So we said unto my lord, We have an aged father, and the child of his old age a youth, —his brother, being dead, he alone, is left of his mother and, his father, loveth him.

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

So then thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, —that I may set mine eyes upon 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 unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father, —as surely as he leaveth his father, so surely will he, die.

23 Then saydest thou vnto thy seruants, Except your yonger brother come downe with you, looke in my face no more.

And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother do come down with you, ye shall not again behold my face.

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

So it came to pass when we had gone up unto thy servant, my father, that we told him the words of my lord.

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

Then said our father, —Go again 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 cannot go down, —If our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down, for we cannot see the face of the man if, our youngest brother, is not with us.

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

Then said thy servant my father, unto us, —Ye yourselves, know, that, two, did my wife bear to me,

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 the one went forth from me, and I said—Certainly he hath been, torn in pieces, —And I have never 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)

As surely as ye take, this one also, away from before my face and there befall him any mischief, so surely shall ye bring down my grey hairs, with misfortune to hades. (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, therefore, as surely as I go in unto thy servant my father, and, the lad, is not with us, —seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad’s soul,

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)

so surely shall it come to pass that when he seeth that the lad is not with us, then will he die. So shall thy servants bring down the grey hairs of thy servant our father, with sorrow to hades. (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 thy servant, became surety for the lad, while away from my father saying, —If I bring him not unto thee, then will I count myself a sinner against my father all the days.

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, therefore, I pray thee let thy servant remain instead of the lad, as servant to my lord, —but as for the lad, let him 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 can I go up unto my father, should the lad, not be with me? lest I look on the calamity, that shall find out my father,