Genesis 44

Joseph’s Silver Cup Put Into Benjamin’s Sack

(1) Then 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 the mouth of his sack.

(2) And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money." 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 donkeys.

(4) When they had gone out of the city, but were not far away, Joseph said to his steward, "Arise, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have YOU rewarded evil for good?

(5) Is not this from which my lord drinks, and indeed by which he divines? YOU have done evil in so doing.'"

(6) And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.

(7) They said to him, "Why does my lord say these words? God forbid that your servants should do such a thing.

(8) Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?

(9) With whomever of your servants it is found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves."

(10) And he said, "Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found shall be my slave, and YOU shall be blameless."

(11) Then each man speedily put down his sack to the ground, and every man opened his sack.

The Cup Was Found In Benjamin’s Sack

(12) He searched, beginning with the oldest, and finished with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

(13) Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.

(14) When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell before him on the ground.

(15) Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that YOU have done? Did YOU not know that a man such as I can certainly divine?"

(16) Then 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 slaves, both we, and he also with whom the cup was found."

(17) He said, "God forbid that I should do so, but the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father."

Judah Pleads For Benjamin

(18) Then Judah came near him, and said, "Oh my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not let your anger burn against your servant, for you are even as Pharaoh.

(19) My lord 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.'

(21) Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on 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) You said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, YOU shall not see my face anymore.'

(24) It came to pass when we returned to your servant, my father, we told him the words of my lord.

(25) And our father said, 'Go again, and buy us a little food.'

(26) Then we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then will we go down, for we may not 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.

(28) One went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces," and I have not seen him since.

(29) If YOU also take this one from me, and harm happens to him, YOU shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.'

(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,

Leaving Benjamin Will Kill Their Father

(31) It shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die, and your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

(32) For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame of my father forever.'

(33) Now therefore, please, let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.

(34) For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad is not with me? Lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father."

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