Gen 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.
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.
3
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
4
[And] when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to
his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when you do overtake them, say to them,
Wherefore have you rewarded evil for good?
5
Is not this that in which my lord drinks, and whereby he indeed divines? you have
done evil in so doing.
6
And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these words.
7
And they said to him, Wherefore speaks my lord 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 out of your lord`s house silver or
gold?
9
With whomever of your servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord`s
bondmen.
10
And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found
shall be my bondman; and you shall be blameless.
11
Then they hasted, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every
man his sack.
12
And he searched, [and] began at the eldest, and left off at the youngest: and the
cup was found in Benjamin`s sack.
13
Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
14
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph`s house; and he was yet there: and they
fell before him on the ground.
15
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this that you have done? know you not that such
a man as I can indeed divine?
16
And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we
clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: behold, we are my
lord`s bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.
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 bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace to your father.
18
Then Judah came near to him, and said, Oh, my lord, let your servant, I pray you,
speak a word in my lord`s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant;
for you are even as Pharaoh.
19
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have you 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 loves him.
21
And you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set mine eyes upon
him.
22
And we said to my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his
father, his father would die.
23
And you said to your servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, you
shall see my face no more.
24
And it came to pass when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words
of my lord.
25
And our father said, Go again, buy us a little food.
26
And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go
down: for we may not see the man`s face, expect our youngest brother be with us.
27
And your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bare 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:
29
and if you take this one also from me, and harm befall him, you will bring down my
gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.
30
Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing
that his life is bound up in the lad`s life;
31
it will come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not [with us], that he will die:
and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow
to Sheol.
32
For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not
to you, then shall I bear the blame to my father for ever.
33
Now therefore, let your servant, I pray you, abide instead of the lad a bondman to
my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
34
For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? lest I see the evil
that shall come on my father.