Genesis 44
1 When his brothers were ready to return home, Joseph said to the man who was in charge of things in his house, “Fill the sacks of those men with as much grain as they can carry [on their donkeys]. And put in the top of each man’s sack the silver that he paid for the grain.
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 Then put my silver cup in the top of the youngest brother’s sack, along with the silver that he paid for the grain.” So the servant did what Joseph told him to do.
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 The next morning at dawn the men started on the way home with their donkeys.
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4 When they had not gone far from the city, Joseph said to the servant in charge of things in his house, “Pursue those men immediately. When you catch up to them, say to them, ‘We did good things for you! Why have you paid us back by doing something bad to us?
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 [You have stolen the cup] that my master drinks from [RHQ]! It is the cup that he uses to find out things that nobody knows! What you did was very wicked!’”
Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”
6 The servant [left immediately and] when he caught up with them, he told them what Joseph had told him to say.
When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
7 But one of them replied to him, “Sir, why do you say such things? We are your servants, and we would never do anything like that!
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
8 We even brought back to you from Canaan land the silver that we found inside the tops of our sacks! So (we certainly would not steal silver or gold from your master’s house!/Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?) [RHQ]
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 If you discover that any of us has that cup, you can execute him, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”
If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
10 The man replied, “Okay, I will do what you say. But the one who has the cup will not be executed. Instead, he will become my slave, and the rest of you may return home.”
“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 Each of the men quickly lowered his sack down from the donkey to the ground and opened it.
So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
12 Then the servant started to search for the cup in each sack. He started with the oldest brother’s sack and ended with the youngest one’s sack. And he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack and showed it to them.
The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13 The brothers tore their clothes [because they were so dismayed]. They loaded the sacks on the donkeys again and returned to the city.
Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his [older and younger] brothers entered Joseph’s house, Joseph was still there. The servant told Joseph what had happened. Then the brothers threw themselves down on the ground in front of Joseph.
When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
15 He said to them, “Why did you do this? Do you not know that a man like me can find out things that nobody knows?” [RHQ]
“What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”
16 Judah replied, “Sir, what can we say? How can we prove that we (are innocent/did not steal the cup)? God has (paid us back/punished us) for the sins [we committed many years ago]. So now we will become your slaves—both we and the one in whose sack the cup was 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 But Joseph replied, “No, I could never do anything like that. Only the man in whose sack the cup was found will become my slave. The rest of you can return to your father peacefully.”
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 to Joseph and said, “Sir, please let me say something to you. You are equal to the king himself, so you could command that I be executed; but do not be angry with me for speaking to you.
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 You asked us, ‘Is your father still living, and do you have another brother?’
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20 We answered, ‘Our father is alive, but he is an old man. He has a young son who was born after our father became an old man. That son had an [older] brother, who is now dead. So the youngest son is the only one of his mother’s sons who is still alive, and his father loves him very much.’
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 Then you said to us, ‘The next time you come here, bring your younger brother down to me, so that I can see him.’
Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’
22 We said to you, ‘No, we cannot do that, because the boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father will die from sorrow.’
So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
23 But you told us, ‘If your youngest brother does not come back with you, I will not let you see me again!’
But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
24 When we returned to our father, we told him what you said.
Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
25 [Months later] our father said, ‘Go back to Egypt and buy some more grain!’
Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’
26 But we said, ‘We cannot go back by ourselves. We will go only if our youngest brother is with us. We will not be able to see the man who sells grain 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 Our father replied, ‘You know that my wife [Rachel] gave birth to two sons for me.
And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28 One of them disappeared, and I said, “A wild animal has surely torn him to pieces.” And I have not seen him since then.
When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
29 I am an old gray-haired man. If you take this other one from me, too, and something harms him, you would cause me to die because of my sorrow.’ (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 “So please listen. My father will remain alive only if his youngest son remains alive.
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 If he sees that the boy is not with us when we return to him, he will die. We will cause our gray-haired father to die because of his sorrow. (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 I guaranteed/promised to my father that the boy would return safely. I told him, ‘You can require me to do what I am promising. If I do not bring him back to you, you can say forever that (I am to blame/it is my fault) [for not bringing him back to you].’
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 “So, please let me remain here as your slave instead of my youngest brother, and let the boy return home with his other older brothers.
Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.
34 (I cannot return to my father if the boy is not with me!/How can I return to my father if the boy is not with me?) [RHQ] I do not want to see how miserable/sad my father would become!”
For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”
