Genesis 44

1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.

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 my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his grain money. And he did according to the word that Joseph 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 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.

4 And when they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, Arise, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say to them, Why have ye rewarded 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 the cup in which my lord drinketh, and by which indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”

6 And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.

When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

7 And they said to him, Why saith my lord these words? Far be it from us that thy servants should do according to this thing:

“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.

8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to thee from the land of Canaan: how then should we steal from thy lord’s house 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 whomever of thy servants it shall be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.

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, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it shall be found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

“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 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and stopped at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 Then they tore their clothes, and loaded every man his donkey, 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 to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

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 deed is this that ye have done? knew ye not that such a man as I can certainly 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 And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is 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 that I should do so: the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go in peace to 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 came near to him, and said, O 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.

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 lord 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 And we said to my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and 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 And thou saidst to thy servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my 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 to my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would 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 to thy servants, Except your youngest brother shall come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’

24 And it came to pass when we came to thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.

25 And our father said, 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 shall be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother shall be 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 And thy servant my father said to us, Ye know that my wife bore me two sons:

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 I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not 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 And if ye take this also from me, and harm shall befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to 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 therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life;

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 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to 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 thy servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

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 abide instead of the lad a slave to my lord; and let the lad return 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 shall I return to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil 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.”