Genesis Chapter 44

1 And he commanded the one over his house, saying, Fill the sacks of the men with food, as much as they are able to carry; and put the silver of each one in the mouth of his sack.

2 And put my cup, the cup of silver, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and the silver for his grain. And he did according to Joseph's word, that which he spoke.

Genesis Chapter 44

3 At the morning light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

4 They had gone out from the city, not having gone far, and Joseph said to the one over his house, Rise up, pursue the men and overtake them, and say to them, Why have you repaid evil for good?

5 Is this not that in which my lord is accustomed to drink, and divining he divines by it? You have done evil in what you have done.

Genesis Chapter 44

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

7 And they said to him, Why should my lord speak according to these words? Far be it from your servants to do according to this word.

8 Behold! The silver which we found in the mouth of our sacks, we returned to you from the land of Canaan. And how should we steal silver or gold from the house of your lord?

Genesis Chapter 44

9 With whomever it may be found, with him of your servants, he shall die; and we also will become slaves to my lord.

10 And he said, Now also let it be according to your words; with whomever it is found with him, he shall become a slave to me, and you shall be innocent.

11 And they hurried, and each one brought down his sack to the earth. And each one opened his sack.

Genesis Chapter 44

12 And he searched, with the oldest first, and with the youngest last, and the cup was found in the sack of Benjamin.

13 And they tore their clothes; and they each one loaded his ass and returned to the city.

14 And Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there. And they fell before him to the earth.

Genesis Chapter 44

15 And Joseph said to them, What is this deed which you have done? Did you not know that a man like me would practice divination?

16 And Judah said, What can we say to my lord? What can we speak, and in what can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are slaves to my lord, both we and he in whose hand the cup was found.

Genesis Chapter 44

17 And he said, Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall become a slave to me; and you go up in peace to your father.

18 And Judah came near to him and said, O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in the ears of my lord, and let not your anger glow on your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.

19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Is there a brother or a father to you?

Genesis Chapter 44

20 And we said to my lord, An aged father is to us, and a young child of his old age; and his brother is dead; and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.

21 And you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, and let me see him.

22 And we said to my lord, The youth is not able to leave his father; and if he should leave his father, he will die.

Genesis Chapter 44

23 And you said to your servants, If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you shall not see my face any more.

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

25 And our father said, Go back, buy a little food for us.

26 And we said, We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, we will go down. For we cannot see the face of the man if our youngest brother is not with us.

Genesis Chapter 44

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

28 And one went out from me. And I said, Indeed, torn he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him until now.

29 And if you take this one also from my face, and harm happen to him, you will bring down my gray hair to the grave in sorrow.

Genesis Chapter 44

30 And now when I come to your servant, my father, and the youth is not with us and his soul being bound to his soul,

31 it will be when he sees that the youth is not, he will die. And your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father to the grave in sorrow.

32 For your servant was surety for the youth with my father, saying, If I do not bring him to you, I shall be a sinner against my father all the days.

Genesis Chapter 44

33 And now please let your servant remain as a slave to my lord instead of the youth; and let the youth go up with his brothers.

34 For how can I go to my father, and the youth not be with me, lest I look on the evil which will find my father?