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.

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 sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph 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 As soon as the morning was light, 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 were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when you do overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have all of you 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 whereby indeed he divines? all of you have done evil in so doing.

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 unto them these same words.

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

7 And they said unto him, Wherefore says my lord these words? God forbid that your servants should do according to this 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 sacks' mouths, we brought again unto you out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of your 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 your servants it be found, both 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 unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and all of you 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 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to 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, and began at the eldest, and left 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 laded every man his ass, and 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; for he was yet there: and they fell 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 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that all of you have done? know all of you not 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 unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is 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, 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.

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 unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant: for you are 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 all of you a father, or a brother?

My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have 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 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 you said unto your servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

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

22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for 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 you said unto your servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, all of you 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 unto your 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, and buy us a little food.

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

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 your servant my father said unto us, All of you know that my wife bare 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, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw 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 And if all of you take this also from me, and mischief befall him, all of you shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. (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 Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's 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 shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. (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 your servant became guarantor for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto you, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

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 Now therefore, I pray you, let your servant abide 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 shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest possibly I see the evil 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.”