Genesis 44

1 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.

He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth.

2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his food money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

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

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

4 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?

When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?

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

Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”

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

He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

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

They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!

8 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 lord’s house silver or gold?

Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?

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

With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

10 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.

He said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.”

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

Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

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

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

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

Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.

14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.

15 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?

Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”

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

Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”

17 And he said, God 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.

He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh 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 came near to him, and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh.

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

My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

20 And we said unto my lord, 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.

We said to my lord, ‘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 loves him.’

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

You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’

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

We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

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

You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’

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

When we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

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

Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’

26 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.

We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man’s face, unless our youngest brother is with us.’

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

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, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

One went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since.

29 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)

If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’ (Sheol h7585)

30 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;

Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’s life;

31 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)

it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the grey hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

32 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.

For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.’

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

Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up with his brothers.

34 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.

For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will come on my father.”