Genesis 44

1 And he commandeth him who [is] over his house, saying, 'Fill the bags of the men [with] food, as they are able to bear, and put the money of each in the mouth of his bag;

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 my cup, the silver cup, thou dost put in the mouth of the bag of the young one, and his corn-money;' and he doth according to the word of Joseph which he hath 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 The morning is bright, and the men have been sent away, they and their asses —

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

4 they have gone out of the city — they have not gone far off — and Joseph hath said to him who [is] over his house, 'Rise, pursue after the men; and thou hast overtaken them, and thou hast said unto them, Why have ye recompensed 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 that with which my lord drinketh? and he observeth diligently with it; ye have done evil [in] that which ye have done.'

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

6 And he overtaketh them, and speaketh unto them these words,

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

7 and they say unto him, 'Why doth my lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word;

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

8 lo, the money which we found in the mouth of our bags we brought back unto thee from the land of Canaan, and how do we steal from the house of thy lord 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 whomsoever of thy servants it is found, he hath died, and we also are to my lord for servants.'

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 saith, 'Now, also, according to your words, so it [is]; he with whom it is found becometh my servant, and ye are acquitted;'

“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 they hasten and take down each his bag to the earth, and each openeth his bag;

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

12 and he searcheth — at the eldest he hath begun, and at the youngest he hath completed — and the cup is found in the bag of Benjamin;

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

13 and they rend their garments, and each ladeth his ass, and they turn back to the city.

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

14 And Judah — his brethren also — cometh in unto the house of Joseph, and he is yet there, and they fall before him to the earth;

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 saith to them, 'What [is] this deed that ye have done? have ye not known that a man like me doth diligently observe?'

“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 saith, 'What do we say to my lord? what do we speak? and what — do we justify ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; lo, we [are] servants to my lord, both we, and he in whose hand the cup hath been 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 saith, 'Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup hath been found, he becometh my servant; and ye, go ye up in peace unto 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 And Judah cometh nigh unto him, and saith, 'O, my lord, let thy servant speak, I pray thee, a word in the ears of my lord, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant — for thou art 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 hath asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father or brother?

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

20 and we say unto my lord, We have a father, an aged one, and a child of old age, a little one; and his brother died, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father hath loved 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 sayest unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, and I set mine eye upon him;

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

22 and we say unto my lord, The youth is not able to leave his father, when he hath left his father, then he hath died;

So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’

23 and thou sayest unto thy servants, If your young brother come not down with you, ye add not to see my face.

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

24 'And it cometh to pass, that we have come up unto thy servant my father, that we declare to 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 saith, Turn back, buy for us a little food,

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

26 and we say, We are not able to go down; if our young brother is with us, then we have gone down; for we are not able to see the man's face, and our young brother not 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 saith unto us, Ye — ye have known that two did my wife bare to me,

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

28 and the one goeth out from me, and I say, Surely he is torn — torn! 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 when ye have taken also this from my presence, and mischief hath met him, then ye have brought down my grey hairs with evil 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 'And now, at my coming in unto thy servant my father, and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up in his soul),

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 it hath come to pass when he seeth that the youth is not, that he hath died, and thy servants have brought down the grey hairs of thy 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 thy servant obtained the youth by surety from my father, saying, If I bring him not in unto thee — then I have sinned against my father all the days.

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 'And now, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the youth a servant to my lord, and the youth goeth up 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 do I go up unto my father, and the youth not with me? lest I look on the evil which doth find 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.”