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 the steward of his house, saying: “Fill their sacks with grain, as much as they are able to hold. And place each one’s money at the top of the 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.

But place my silver bowl, and the price that he gave for the wheat, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest.” And so it was done.

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

And when morning arose, they were sent away 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 thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

And now they had departed from the city and had set out a short distance. Then Joseph, sending for the steward of his house, said: “Rise up and pursue the men. And when you have overtaken them, say: ‘Why have you returned 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.

The cup that you have stolen, it is that from which my lord drinks, and in which he is accustomed to discern signs. You have done a very sinful thing.’”

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

He did as he had been ordered. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them according to the order.

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

And they responded: “Why does our lord speak in this way, as though your servants had committed such a shameful act?

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?

The money, which we found at the top of our sacks, we carried back to you from the land of Canaan. So in what way does it follow that we would steal, from the house of your lord, gold or silver?

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

Whichever of your servants will be found to have what you seek, may he die, and we shall be the servants 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 ye shall be blameless.

And he said to them: “Let it be according to your verdict. With whomever it will be found, let him be my servant, but you will be unharmed.”

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

And so, they quickly placed their sacks down to the ground, and each one was opened.

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

And when he had searched, beginning with the oldest, all the way to the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.

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

But they, tearing their garments and burdening their donkeys again, returned to the town.

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

And Judah, first among his brothers, entered to Joseph (for he had not yet departed from the place) and together they all fell down before him to the ground.

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?

And he said to them: “Why would you choose to act in this way? Could you be ignorant that there is no one like me in the knowledge of discerning signs?”

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.

And Judah said to him, “What could we answer to my lord? And what would we be able to say, or to justly claim? God has discovered the iniquity of your servants. See, we have all become servants to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was 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.

Joseph responded: “Far be it from me that I should act in this way. He who stole the cup, he will be my servant. But you may go away free 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, approaching closer, said confidently: “I beg you, my lord, let your servant speak a word in your ears, and do not be angry with your servant. For you are next to Pharaoh.

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

My lord, you questioned your servants before: ‘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 loveth him.

And we answered you, my lord: ‘There is our father, an old man, and a young boy, who was born in his old age. His brother of the same womb has died, and he alone is left to his mother and father, who truly love him tenderly.’

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

And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me, and I will 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 suggested to my lord: ‘The boy is not able to leave his father. For if he sends him away, he will die.’

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

And you said to your servants: ‘Unless your youngest brother arrives with you, you will not see my face any more.’

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

Therefore, when we had gone up to your servant our father, we explained to him all that my lord had spoken.

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

And our father said: ‘Return and buy us a little wheat.’

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.

And we said to him: ‘We cannot go. If our youngest brother descends with us, we will set out together. Otherwise, in his absence, we do not dare to see the face of the man.’

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

To which he responded: ‘You know that my wife conceived twice by me.

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, and you said, “A beast devoured him.” And since then, he has not appeared.

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, and anything happens to him on the way, you will lead my grey hairs down with grief to the grave.’ (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;

Therefore, if I would have gone to your servant, our father, with the boy not present, (though his life depends upon the life of him)

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)

and if he were to see that he is not with us, he would die, and your servants will lead his grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave. (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.

Let me be your very own servant, for I accepted this one into my trust, and I promised, saying: ‘Unless I lead him back, I will be guilty of a sin against my father for all time.’

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.

And so I, your servant, will remain in place of the boy, in ministry to my lord, and then 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 I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I appear as a witness to the calamity that will oppress my father.”