Chapter 44

And he commanded¹⁷ the steward of his house, saying,² Fill¹⁶ the men's sacks [with] food, as much as they can⁴ carry,² and put³ every man's money in his sack's mouth.

And put⁴ my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did⁴ according to the word that Joseph had spoken.¹⁴

As soon as the morning was light,¹ the men were sent away,²⁷ they and their asses.

[And] when they were gone out¹ of the city, [and] not [yet] far off,⁵² Joseph said¹ unto his steward, Up,³ follow³ after the men; and when thou dost overtake⁵² them, say¹ unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded¹⁴ evil for good?

[Is] not this [it] in which my lord drinketh,⁴ and whereby indeed¹⁵ he divineth?¹⁷ ye have done evil⁵² in so doing.¹

And he overtook⁵⁵ them, and he spake¹⁷ unto them these same words.

And they said⁴ unto him, Wherefore saith¹⁷ my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do² according to this thing:

Behold, the money, which we found¹ in our sacks' mouths, we brought again⁵² unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal⁴ out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

With whomsoever of thy servants it be found,¹¹ both let him die,¹ and we also will be my lord's bondmen.

And he said,⁴ Now also [let] it [be] according unto your words: ³⁶⁵¹ he with whom it is found¹¹ shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

Then they speedily¹⁷ took down⁵⁵ every man his sack to the ground, and opened⁴ every man his sack.

And he searched,¹⁷ [and] began⁵² at the eldest, and left¹⁴ at the youngest: and the cup was found¹¹ in Benjamin's sack.

Then they rent⁴ their clothes, and laded⁴ every man his ass, and returned⁴ to the city.

And Judah and his brethren came⁴ to Joseph's house; for he [was] yet there: and they fell⁴ before him on the ground.

And Joseph said⁴ unto them, What deed [is] this that ye have done?¹ wot ye¹ not that such a man as I can certainly¹⁵ divine?¹⁷

And Judah said,⁴ What shall we say⁴ unto my lord? what shall we speak?¹⁷ or how shall we clear¹⁰¹ ourselves? God hath found out¹ the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we [are] my lord's servants, both we, and [he] also with whom ³⁰²⁷ the cup is found.⁸

And he said,⁴ God forbid that I should do² so: [but] the man in whose hand the cup is found,⁸ he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up³ in peace unto your father.

Then Judah came near⁴ unto him, and said,⁴ Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak¹⁷ a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn⁴ against thy servant: for thou [art] even as Pharaoh.

My lord asked¹ his servants, saying,² Have ye a father, or a brother?

And we said⁴ unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead,¹ and he alone is left¹¹ of his mother, and his father loveth¹ him.

And thou saidst⁴ unto thy servants, Bring him down⁵⁴ unto me, that I may set⁴ mine eyes upon him.

And we said⁴ unto my lord, The lad cannot ^{3201 4} leave² his father: for [if] he should leave¹ his father, [his father] would die.¹

And thou saidst⁴ unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down⁴ with you, ye shall see² my face no more.⁵⁵

And it came to pass when we came up¹ unto thy servant my father, we told⁵⁵ him the words of my lord.

And our father said,⁴ Go again,³ [and] buy³ us a little food.

And we said,⁴ We cannot ^{3201 4} go down:² if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down:¹ for we may⁴ not see² the man's face, except our youngest brother [be] with us.

And thy servant my father said⁴ unto us, Ye know¹ that my wife bare¹ me two [sons]:

And the one went out⁴ from me, and I said,⁴ Surely² he is torn in pieces;¹⁹ and I saw¹ him not since:

And if ye take¹ this also from me, and mischief befall¹ him, ye shall bring down⁵² my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

Now therefore when I come² to thy servant my father, and the lad [be] not with us; seeing that his life is bound up⁷ in the lad's life;

It shall come to pass, when he seeth² that the lad [is] not [with us], that he will die:¹ and thy servants shall bring down⁵² the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

For thy servant became surety¹ for the lad unto my father, saying,² If I bring⁵⁵ him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame¹ to my father for ever.

Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide⁴ instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up⁴ with his brethren.

For how shall I go up⁴ to my father, and the lad [be] not with me? lest peradventure I see⁴ the evil that shall come on⁴ my father.