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.

And Joseph charged the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put the money of each 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.

And put my silver cup into the sack of the youngest, and the price of his corn. And it was done according to the word of Joseph, as he said.

3 The next morning at dawn the men started on the way home with their donkeys.

The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their asses.

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?

And when they had gone out of the city, [and] were not far off, then Joseph said to his steward, Arise, and pursue after the men; and you shall overtake them, and say to them, Why have you returned evil for good?

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!’”

Why have you stolen my silver cup? is it not this out of which my lord drinks? and he divines augury with it; you have accomplished evil in that which you have done.

6 The servant [left immediately and] when he caught up with them, he told them what Joseph had told him to say.

And he found them, and spoke to them according to these words.

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!

And they said to him, Why does our lord speak according to these words? far be it from your servants to do according to this word.

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]

If we brought back to you out of the land of Chanaan the money which we found in our sacks, how should we steal silver or gold out of the house of your lord?

9 If you discover that any of us has that cup, you can execute him, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”

With whoever of your servants you shall find the cup, let him die; and, moreover, we will be servants to our 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.”

And he said, Now then it shall be as you say; with whoever the cup shall be found, he shall be my servant, and you shall be clear.

11 Each of the men quickly lowered his sack down from the donkey to the ground and opened it.

And they hasted, and took down every man his sack on the ground, and they opened every man his sack.

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.

And he searched, beginning from the oldest, until he came to the youngest; and he found the cup 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.

And they tore their garments, and laid each man his sack on his ass, 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.

And Judas and his brethren came in to Joseph, while he was yet there, and fell on 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]

And Joseph said to them, What is this thing that you have done? know you not that a man such as I can surely divine?

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.”

And Judas said, What shall we answer to our lord, or what shall we say, or wherein should we be justified? whereas God has discovered the unrighteousness of your servants; behold, we are slaves to our lord, both we and he with whom the cup has been found.

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.”

And Joseph said, Far be it from me to do this thing; the man with whom the cup has been found, he shall be my servant; but do you go up with safety to your father.

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.

And Judas drew near him, and said, I pray, Sir, let your servant speak a word before you, and be not angry with your servant, for you are next to Pharao.

19 You asked us, ‘Is your father still living, and do you have another brother?’

Sir, you asked your servants, saying, Have you 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 said to [my] lord, We have a father, an old man, and he has a son of his old age, a young one, and his brother is dead, and he alone has been left behind to his mother, 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.’

And you said to they servants, Bring him down to me, and I will take care of him.

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.’

And we said to [my] lord, The child will not be able to leave his father; but if he should leave his father, he will 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 they servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, you shall not see my face again.

24 When we returned to our father, we told him what you said.

And it came to pass, when we went up to your servant our father, we reported to him the words of our lord.

25 [Months later] our father said, ‘Go back to Egypt and buy some more grain!’

And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little 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.’

And we said, We shall not be able to go down; but if our younger brother go down with us, we will go down; for we shall not be able to see the man's face, our younger brother not being with us.

27 Our father replied, ‘You know that my wife [Rachel] gave birth to two sons for me.

And your servant our 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.

and one is departed from me; and you said that he was devoured of wild beasts, and I have not seen him until now.

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)

If then you take this one also from my presence, and an affliction happen to him by the way, then shall you bring down my old age with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

30 “So please listen. My father will remain alive only if his youngest son remains alive.

Now then, if I should go in to they servant, and our father, and the boy should not be with us, (and his life depends on this [lad'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)

—it shall even come to pass, when he sees the boy is not with us, [that] he will die, and your servants will bring down the old age of your servant, and our father, with sorrow to the grave. (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].’

For your servant has received the boy [in charge] from his father, saying, If I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty towards my father for ever.

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 then I will remain a servant with you instead of the lad, a domestic of my lord; but let the lad go up with his brethren.

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 shall I go up to my father, the lad not being with us? lest I behold the evils which will befall my father.