Genesis 44

1 He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each 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 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” 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 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you 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 Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You 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 He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

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

7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a 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 you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?

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 your servants it is found, 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 He said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will 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 hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

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

12 He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. 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 each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.

Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

14 Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.

When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”

“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 said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand 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 He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up 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, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are 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 you a father, or a brother?’

My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

20 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 loves 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 You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’

Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’

22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t 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 You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will 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 When we came up to your 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 Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’

Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’

26 We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man’s face, unless our youngest brother is 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 Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You 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 One went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t 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 If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’ (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 your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’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 will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the grey hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol. (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 your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.’

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, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up with his 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 For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will 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.”