Genesis 44
1 When his brothers were ready to return home, Joseph said to the man who was in charge of things in his house, “Fill the sacks of those men with as much grain as they can carry [on their donkeys]. And put in the top of each man’s sack the silver that he paid for the grain.
Then Joseph instructed the steward of his house, saying: “Fill their sacks with grain, as much as they are able to hold. And place each one’s money at the top of the sack.
2 Then put my silver cup in the top of the youngest brother’s sack, along with the silver that he paid for the grain.” So the servant did what Joseph told him to do.
But place my silver bowl, and the price that he gave for the wheat, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest.” And so it was done.
3 The next morning at dawn the men started on the way home with their donkeys.
And when morning arose, they were sent away with their donkeys.
4 When they had not gone far from the city, Joseph said to the servant in charge of things in his house, “Pursue those men immediately. When you catch up to them, say to them, ‘We did good things for you! Why have you paid us back by doing something bad to us?
And now they had departed from the city and had set out a short distance. Then Joseph, sending for the steward of his house, said: “Rise up and pursue the men. And when you have overtaken them, say: ‘Why have you returned evil for good?
5 [You have stolen the cup] that my master drinks from [RHQ]! It is the cup that he uses to find out things that nobody knows! What you did was very wicked!’”
The cup that you have stolen, it is that from which my lord drinks, and in which he is accustomed to discern signs. You have done a very sinful thing.’”
6 The servant [left immediately and] when he caught up with them, he told them what Joseph had told him to say.
He did as he had been ordered. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them according to the order.
7 But one of them replied to him, “Sir, why do you say such things? We are your servants, and we would never do anything like that!
And they responded: “Why does our lord speak in this way, as though your servants had committed such a shameful act?
8 We even brought back to you from Canaan land the silver that we found inside the tops of our sacks! So (we certainly would not steal silver or gold from your master’s house!/Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?) [RHQ]
The money, which we found at the top of our sacks, we carried back to you from the land of Canaan. So in what way does it follow that we would steal, from the house of your lord, gold or silver?
9 If you discover that any of us has that cup, you can execute him, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”
Whichever of your servants will be found to have what you seek, may he die, and we shall be the servants of my lord.”
10 The man replied, “Okay, I will do what you say. But the one who has the cup will not be executed. Instead, he will become my slave, and the rest of you may return home.”
And he said to them: “Let it be according to your verdict. With whomever it will be found, let him be my servant, but you will be unharmed.”
11 Each of the men quickly lowered his sack down from the donkey to the ground and opened it.
And so, they quickly placed their sacks down to the ground, and each one was opened.
12 Then the servant started to search for the cup in each sack. He started with the oldest brother’s sack and ended with the youngest one’s sack. And he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack and showed it to them.
And when he had searched, beginning with the oldest, all the way to the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.
13 The brothers tore their clothes [because they were so dismayed]. They loaded the sacks on the donkeys again and returned to the city.
But they, tearing their garments and burdening their donkeys again, returned to the town.
14 When Judah and his [older and younger] brothers entered Joseph’s house, Joseph was still there. The servant told Joseph what had happened. Then the brothers threw themselves down on the ground in front of Joseph.
And Judah, first among his brothers, entered to Joseph (for he had not yet departed from the place) and together they all fell down before him to the ground.
15 He said to them, “Why did you do this? Do you not know that a man like me can find out things that nobody knows?” [RHQ]
And he said to them: “Why would you choose to act in this way? Could you be ignorant that there is no one like me in the knowledge of discerning signs?”
16 Judah replied, “Sir, what can we say? How can we prove that we (are innocent/did not steal the cup)? God has (paid us back/punished us) for the sins [we committed many years ago]. So now we will become your slaves—both we and the one in whose sack the cup was found.”
And Judah said to him, “What could we answer to my lord? And what would we be able to say, or to justly claim? God has discovered the iniquity of your servants. See, we have all become servants to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.”
17 But Joseph replied, “No, I could never do anything like that. Only the man in whose sack the cup was found will become my slave. The rest of you can return to your father peacefully.”
Joseph responded: “Far be it from me that I should act in this way. He who stole the cup, he will be my servant. But you may go away free to your father.”
18 Then Judah came near to Joseph and said, “Sir, please let me say something to you. You are equal to the king himself, so you could command that I be executed; but do not be angry with me for speaking to you.
Then Judah, approaching closer, said confidently: “I beg you, my lord, let your servant speak a word in your ears, and do not be angry with your servant. For you are next to Pharaoh.
19 You asked us, ‘Is your father still living, and do you have another brother?’
My lord, you questioned your servants before: ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20 We answered, ‘Our father is alive, but he is an old man. He has a young son who was born after our father became an old man. That son had an [older] brother, who is now dead. So the youngest son is the only one of his mother’s sons who is still alive, and his father loves him very much.’
And we answered you, my lord: ‘There is our father, an old man, and a young boy, who was born in his old age. His brother of the same womb has died, and he alone is left to his mother and father, who truly love him tenderly.’
21 Then you said to us, ‘The next time you come here, bring your younger brother down to me, so that I can see him.’
And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me, and I will set my eyes on him.’
22 We said to you, ‘No, we cannot do that, because the boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father will die from sorrow.’
We suggested to my lord: ‘The boy is not able to leave his father. For if he sends him away, he will die.’
23 But you told us, ‘If your youngest brother does not come back with you, I will not let you see me again!’
And you said to your servants: ‘Unless your youngest brother arrives with you, you will not see my face any more.’
24 When we returned to our father, we told him what you said.
Therefore, when we had gone up to your servant our father, we explained to him all that my lord had spoken.
25 [Months later] our father said, ‘Go back to Egypt and buy some more grain!’
And our father said: ‘Return and buy us a little wheat.’
26 But we said, ‘We cannot go back by ourselves. We will go only if our youngest brother is with us. We will not be able to see the man who sells grain if our youngest brother is not with us.’
And we said to him: ‘We cannot go. If our youngest brother descends with us, we will set out together. Otherwise, in his absence, we do not dare to see the face of the man.’
27 Our father replied, ‘You know that my wife [Rachel] gave birth to two sons for me.
To which he responded: ‘You know that my wife conceived twice by me.
28 One of them disappeared, and I said, “A wild animal has surely torn him to pieces.” And I have not seen him since then.
One went out, and you said, “A beast devoured him.” And since then, he has not appeared.
29 I am an old gray-haired man. If you take this other one from me, too, and something harms him, you would cause me to die because of my sorrow.’ (Sheol h7585)
If you take this one also, and anything happens to him on the way, you will lead my grey hairs down with grief to the grave.’ (Sheol h7585)
30 “So please listen. My father will remain alive only if his youngest son remains alive.
Therefore, if I would have gone to your servant, our father, with the boy not present, (though his life depends upon the life of him)
31 If he sees that the boy is not with us when we return to him, he will die. We will cause our gray-haired father to die because of his sorrow. (Sheol h7585)
and if he were to see that he is not with us, he would die, and your servants will lead his grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
32 I guaranteed/promised to my father that the boy would return safely. I told him, ‘You can require me to do what I am promising. If I do not bring him back to you, you can say forever that (I am to blame/it is my fault) [for not bringing him back to you].’
Let me be your very own servant, for I accepted this one into my trust, and I promised, saying: ‘Unless I lead him back, I will be guilty of a sin against my father for all time.’
33 “So, please let me remain here as your slave instead of my youngest brother, and let the boy return home with his other older brothers.
And so I, your servant, will remain in place of the boy, in ministry to my lord, and then let the boy go up with his brothers.
34 (I cannot return to my father if the boy is not with me!/How can I return to my father if the boy is not with me?) [RHQ] I do not want to see how miserable/sad my father would become!”
For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I appear as a witness to the calamity that will oppress my father.”
