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.

Joseph 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 opening.

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 opening of the youngest, and also his money for the grain.” The steward did as Joseph had said.

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

The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and 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 out of the city but were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you returned 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.’”

Is this not the cup from which my master drinks, and the cup that he uses for divination? You have done evil, this thing that you have done.'”

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

The steward overtook 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!

They said to him, “Why does my master speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they would 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 our sacks' openings, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then could we steal out of your master's house silver or gold?

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, let him die, and we also will be my master'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.”

The steward said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom the cup is found will be my slave, and you others will be innocent.”

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

Then each man hurried and brought his sack down 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.

The steward searched. He began with the oldest and finished with 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. 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.

Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house. He was still there, and they bowed before him to the ground.

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?”

Joseph said to them, “What is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me practices 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.”

Judah said, “What can we say to my master? What can we speak? Or how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Look, we are my master's slaves, both we and he also in whose hand 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.”

Joseph said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup was found, that person will be my slave, but as for you others, go up in peace to your father.”

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 came near to him and said, “My master, please let your servant speak a word in my master's ears, and do let your anger burn against your servant, for you are just like Pharaoh.

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

My master 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.’

We said to my master, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one. But his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, 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 that I may see him.'

22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

After that, we said to my master, 'The boy cannot 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.’

Then 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.

Then it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my master.

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

Our father said, 'Go again, buy us some 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.’

Then we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then will we go down, for we will not be able to 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.

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.

One of them went out from me and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces, and I have not 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)

Now if you also take this one from me, and harm comes to him, you will bring down my gray hair 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;

Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad 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 come about, when he sees the boy is not with us, he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hair 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 a guarantee for the boy to my father and said, 'If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the guilt 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.

Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy as slave to my master, 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 can I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? I am afraid to see the evil that would come on my father.”