Genesis 44

1 And he commanded the superintendent of his house, saying, Fill the sacks of these men with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in the mouth of his sack.

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 And my cup, the silver cup, thou shalt put in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and the money for his corn. And he did according to the word of Joseph which he 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 asses.

The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

4 They were gone out of the city, not yet far off, when Joseph said unto the superintendent of his house, Up, follow after the men; and when thou hast overtaken them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye returned 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 Is not this out of which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye 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 And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these same words.

The steward overtook them and spoke these words to them.

7 And they said unto him, Wherefore will my lord speak such words as these? God forbid that thy servants should do any thing like this.

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 the mouth of our sacks, we brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

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 whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die; and we also will be bondmen unto thy lord.

With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my master's slaves.”

10 And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; but ye shall 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 And they made haste, and every one of them took down his sack to the ground, and every one opened his sack.

Then each man hurried and brought his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

12 And he searched, at the eldest he began, and at the youngest he left off; and 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 rent their clothes, and every one loaded his ass, and they returned to the city.

Then they tore their clothes. Each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

14 And Judah and his brothers came into Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell down before him on the ground.

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

15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? knew ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

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

16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we justify ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold we are servants unto my lord, both we, as also he in whose hand the cup was 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 And he said, God forbid that I should do this: the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go you up in peace unto 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 unto him, and said, Pardon, my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thy anger burn against thy servant; for thou art 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 ye a father, or a brother.

My master asked his servants, saying, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

20 And we said unto my lord, We have an old father, and a little child born in his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth 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 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set my eye upon him.

Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me that I may see him.'

22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father, he 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 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall not see my face any more.

Then you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.'

24 And it came to pass, when we came up unto thy servant my father, that 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 And our father said, Go back and buy us a little food.

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

26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down; for we cannot see the man's face, except our youngest brother be 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 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye 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 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he hath been torn to pieces; and I have not seen him up to this time.

One of them went out from me and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces, and I have not seen him since.”

29 And if ye take this one also from me, and mischief befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. (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 And now, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad'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 come to pass, that when he seeth that the lad is not with us, he will die: and thy servants would thus bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. (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 thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I have sinned against my father all the days.

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, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad as bond-man to my lord; and let the lad 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 shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? I should perhaps be compelled to witness the evil which would 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.”