Gen. 44
:1
44:1
And he commanded him who was over his house, saying,
aFill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
Gen. 44
:2
44:2
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest with his silver for the grain. And he did so, according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
Gen. 44
:3
44:3
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
Gen. 44
:4
44:4
When they had
just gone out of the city
and were not yet far off, Joseph said to
ahim who was over his house, Rise up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, Why have you repaid evil for good?
Gen. 44
:5
44:5
Is not this that from which my lord drinks, and which he indeed uses for divining? You have done wrong in so doing.
Gen. 44
:6
44:6
And he overtook them and spoke these words to them.
Gen. 44
:7
44:7
And they said to him, Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.
Gen. 44
:8
44:8
See how we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver which we found in the mouth of our
asacks. How then could we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?
Gen. 44
:9
44:9
With awhomever of your servants it is found, let him die; and we ourselves will become my lord’s slaves.
Gen. 44
:10
44:10
And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: He with whom it is found will be my slave, and
the rest of you will be blameless.
Gen. 44
:11
44:11
Then each man hurried and lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
Gen. 44
:12
44:12
And he searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Gen. 44
:13
44:13
Then they tore their garments, and each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
Gen. 44
:14
44:14
And aJudah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there; and they
bfell to the ground before him.
Gen. 44
:15
44:15
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed divine?
Gen. 44
:16
44:16
And Judah said, What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the
ainiquity of your servants. Here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and the one in whose hand the cup has been found.
Gen. 44
:17
44:17
But he said, Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose hand the cup has been
afound, he will be my slave; but as for
the rest of you, go up in peace to your father.
Gen. 44
:18
44:18
Then Judah came near to him and said, Please, my lord, let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh.
Gen. 44
:19
44:19
My lord asked his servants, saying, Do you have a father or a brother?
Gen. 44
:20
44:20
And we said to my lord, We have an old father and a young child of his
aold age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.
Gen. 44
:21
44:21
And you said to your servants,
aBring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.
Gen. 44
:22
44:22
And we said to my lord, The boy cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father,
his father would
adie.
Gen. 44
:23
44:23
And you said to your servants, Unless your
ayoungest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.
Gen. 44
:24
44:24
And when we went up to your servant my father, we told him my lord’s words.
Gen. 44
:25
44:25
And our father said, Return,
abuy us a little food.
Gen. 44
:26
44:26
But we said, We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, we will go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.
Gen. 44
:27
44:27
And your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two
asons;
Gen. 44
:28
44:28
And the one went away from me, and I said, Surely he has been
atorn to pieces; and I have not seen him to this day.
Gen. 44
:29
44:29
And if you take this one also from me and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs in misery to
aSheol.
Gen. 44
:30
44:30
Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, his life being bound up in the boy’s life,
Gen. 44
:31
44:31
When he sees that the boy is not
with us, he will die; and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father in sorrow to Sheol.
Gen. 44
:32
44:32
For your servant became
asurety for the lad to my father, saying, If I do not bring him to you, then I shall bear the blame of sinning before my father forever.
Gen. 44
:33
44:33
Now therefore, please let your servant remain as a slave to my lord instead of the boy, and let the boy go up with his brothers.
Gen. 44
:34
44:34
For how shall I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would come on my father.
