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 he instructed the manager of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man'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 cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, along with the silver for his grain." So he did according to the word that Joseph had told him.

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent off along 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?

When they were far from the city, Joseph said to his manager, "Up, go after the men, and when you overtake them, ask them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?

5 Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”

Why have you stolen my silver cup? Isn't it from this that my lord drinks and by which he indeed uses for divination? You have done evil in doing this.'"

6 He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

And he caught up with them and spoke 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!

But 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.

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?

Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?

9 With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

With whomever of your servants it is found, he must die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."

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.”

And he said, "Very well, then, it will be as you say. The one with whom it is found will be my slave, but you will be blameless."

11 Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

Then they hurried, and each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

12 He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

And he searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at 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 tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey 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.

So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and 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?”

And Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have done? Didn't you know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?"

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.”

Then Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we clear ourselves? God has uncovered the guilt of your servants. Look, we are my lord's slaves, both we, and the one in whose possession the cup was found."

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 he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose possession the cup was found, he will be my slave. But as for you, go up 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 him, and said, "My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word in the ears of my lord, and do not become angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.

19 My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

My lord asked his servants, saying, '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 said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child born when he was old, a little one, and his brother is dead, and he is his mother's only child, 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 said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, so that I can see him 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.’

And we said to my lord, 'The boy can't leave his father: for if he should leave his father, 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 youngest 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.

And it happened when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’

But our father said, 'Go again, buy us a little 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.’

We said, 'We can't go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down, for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

27 Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.

Then 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.

And the one disappeared from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces." And I haven't seen him since.

29 If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’ (Sheol h7585)

If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol. (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 now, 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,

31 it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

it will happen, when he sees that the boy is not with us, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. (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.’

For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.'

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.

So now, please let your servant remain instead of the boy, a slave to my lord, and let the boy go up 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 will I go up to my father if the boy isn't with me? I could not bear to see the misery that would come on my father."