Genesis 44
1 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;
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 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.
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 By the time, the morning, was light, the men, had been sent away, they, and their asses.
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4 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?
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 that in which my lord drinketh, and whereby, he himself, doth divine? Ye have done evil in what ye have done.
Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”
6 So he overtook them, —and spake unto them these words.
When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
7 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!
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
8 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?
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 thy servants it can be found, he shall die, —and, we also, will become my lord’s servants.
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, 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.
“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 So they hastened and took down each man his sack to the ground, —and opened each man his sack.
So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
12 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!
The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13 And they rent their mantles, —and laded each 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 into the house of Joseph, he, yet being there, —and fell down before him to the earth.
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 to them, What is this deed which ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I, can even 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 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.
“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, 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.
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 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!
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 It was, my lord, who asked his servants, saying, —Have ye a father, or a brother?
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20 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.
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 So then thou saidst unto thy 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, —as surely as he leaveth his father, so surely will he, die.
So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother do come down with you, ye shall not again behold my face.
But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
24 So it came to pass when we had gone up unto thy servant, my father, that we told him the words of my lord.
Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
25 Then said our father, —Go again 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 cannot see the face of the man if, our youngest brother, is not 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 Then said thy servant my father, unto us, —Ye yourselves, know, that, two, did my wife bear to me,
And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28 and the one went forth from me, and I said—Certainly he hath been, torn in pieces, —And I have never seen him since.
When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
29 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)
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, 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,
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 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)
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 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.
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 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.
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 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,
For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”
