Genesis 44
1 And he commaunded the rueler of his house saynge: fyll the mens sackes with food as moch as they can carie
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 put euery mans money in his bagge mouth and put my syluer cuppe in the sackes mouth of the yongest and his corne money also. And he dyd as Ioseph had sayde.
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 And in ye mornynge as soone as it was lighte the me were let goo with their asses.
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4 And when they were out of the cytie and not yet ferre awaye Ioseph sayde vnto the ruelar of his house: vp and folowe after the men and ouertake them and saye vnto them: wherefore haue ye rewarded euell 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 that not the cuppe of which my lorde drynketh ad doth he not prophesie therin? ye haue euell done that ye haue done.
Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”
6 And he ouertoke them and sayde the same wordes vnto them.
When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
7 And they answered him: wherfore sayth my lorde soch wordes? God forbydd that thy servauntes shulde doo so.
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
8 Beholde the money which we founde in oure sackes mouthes we brought agayne vnto the out of the lande of Canaa: how then shulde we steale out of my lordes house ether syluer or golde?
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 whosoeuer of thy seruauntes it be founde let him dye and let vs also be my lordes bondmen.
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 sayde: Now therfore acordynge vnto youre woordes he with whom it is found shalbe my seruaunte: but ye shalbe harmelesse.
“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 And attonce euery man toke downe his sacke to the grounde ad every man opened his sacke.
So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
12 And he serched and began at the eldest and left at the yongest. And the cuppe was founde in Ben Iamins sacke.
The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13 Then they rent their clothes and laded euery man his asse and went agayne vnto the cytie.
Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
14 And Iuda and his brethre came to Iosephs house for he was yet there ad they fell before him on the grounde.
When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
15 And Ioseph sayde vnto the: what dede is this which ye haue done? wist ye not that soch a man as I can prophesie?
“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 sayde Iuda: what shall we saye vnto my lorde what shall we speake or what excuse can we make? God hath founde out ye wekednesse of thy seruauntes. Beholde both we and he with whom the cuppe is founde are thy seruauntes.
“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 answered: God forbyd ye I shulde do so the man with whom the cuppe is founde he shalbe my seruaunte: but goo ye in peace vn to youre 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 Iuda went vnto him and sayde: oh my lorde let thy servaunte speake a worde in my lordes audyence and be not wrooth with thi servaunte: for thou art euen as Pharao.
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 My lorde axed his seruaunte sainge: haue ye a father or a brother?
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20 And we answered my lord we haue a father that is old and a yonge lad which he begat in his age: ad the brother of the sayde lad is dead and he is all that is left of that mother. And his father loueth 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 Then sayde my lorde vnto his seruauntes brynge him vnto me that I maye sett myne eyes apon him.
Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’
22 And we answered my lorde that the lad coude not goo from his father for if he shulde leaue his father he were but a deed man.
So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
23 Than saydest thou vnto thy servauntes: excepte youre yongest brother come with you loke that ye se my face no moare.
But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
24 And when we came vnto thy servaunt oure father we shewed him what my lorde had sayde.
Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
25 And when oure father sayde vnto vs goo agayne and bye vs a litle fode:
Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’
26 we sayd yt we coude not goo. Neverthelesse if oure youngeste brother go with vs then will we goo for we maye not see the mannes face excepte oure yongest brother be with vs.
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 sayde thy servaunt oure father vnto vs. Ye knowe that my wyfe bare me. ij. sonnes.
And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28 And the one went out from me and it is sayde of a suertie that he is torne in peaces of wyld beastes and I sawe him not sence.
When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
29 Yf ye shall take this also awaye fro me and some mysfortune happen apon him then shall ye brynge my gray heed with sorow vnto the grave. (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 therfore whe I come to thy servaunt my father yf the lad be not with me: seinge that his lyfe hageth by the laddes lyfe
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 then as soone as he seeth that the lad is not come he will dye. So shall we thy servautes brynge the gray hedde of thy servaunt oure father with sorow vnto the grave. (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 I thy servaunt became suertie for the lad vnto my father and sayde: yf I bringe him not vnto the agayne. I will bere the blame all my life loge.
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 therfore let me thy servaunt byde here for ye lad and be my lordes bondman: and let the lad goo home with his brethern.
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 goo vnto my father and the lad not wyth me: lest I shulde see the wretchednes that shall come on 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.”
