< Genesis 44 >
1 And he commanded the superintendent of his house, saying, Fill the sacks of these men with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in the mouth of his sack.
2 And my cup, the silver cup, thou shalt put in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and the money for his corn. And he did according to the word of Joseph which he had spoken.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
4 They were gone out of the city, not yet far off, when Joseph said unto the superintendent of his house, Up, follow after the men; and when thou hast overtaken them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye returned evil for good?
5 Is not this out of which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
6 And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these same words.
7 And they said unto him, Wherefore will my lord speak such words as these? God forbid that thy servants should do any thing like this.
8 Behold the money, which we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die; and we also will be bondmen unto thy lord.
10 And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; but ye shall be blameless.
11 And they made haste, and every one of them took down his sack to the ground, and every one opened his sack.
12 And he searched, at the eldest he began, and at the youngest he left off; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13 Then they rent their clothes, and every one loaded his ass, and they returned to the city.
14 And Judah and his brothers came into Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell down before him on the ground.
15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? knew ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we justify ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold we are servants unto my lord, both we, as also he in whose hand the cup was found.
17 And he said, God forbid that I should do this: the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go you up in peace unto your father.
18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Pardon, my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thy anger burn against thy servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh.
19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother.
20 And we said unto my lord, We have an old father, and a little child born in his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set my eye upon him.
22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father, he would die.
23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall not see my face any more.
24 And it came to pass, when we came up unto thy servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord.
25 And our father said, Go back 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 cannot see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bore me two sons;
28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he hath been torn to pieces; and I have not seen him up to this time.
29 And if ye take this one also from me, and mischief befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol )
30 And now, 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;
31 It will come to pass, that when he seeth that the lad is not with us, he will die: and thy servants would thus bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol )
32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I have sinned against my father all the days.
33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad as bond-man to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers.
34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? I should perhaps be compelled to witness the evil which would come on my father.
