1 A nd 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 his sack’s mouth.

Then Joseph told the man who took care of his house, “Fill the men’s bags with as much food as they can carry. And put each man’s money in his bag.

2 A nd put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money. And did according to what Joseph had said.

Put my silver cup in the bag of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did what Joseph had told him to do.

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

Early in the morning the men were sent away with their donkeys.

4 W hen they had left the city and were not yet far away, Joseph said to his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, Why have you rewarded evil for good?

When they had left the city and were not far away, Joseph said to the man who took care of his house, “Get up and follow the men. When you come to them, say to them, ‘Why have you returned bad for good? Why have you stolen the silver cup?

5 I s it not my master’s drinking cup with which he divines ? You have done wrong in doing this.

Is this not my lord’s drinking cup that he uses for telling about the future? You have done wrong.’”

6 A nd the steward overtook them, and he said to them these same words.

So he came to them and spoke these words to them.

7 T hey said to him, Why does my lord say these things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these things? Your servants would never do such a thing.

8 N ote that the money which we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Is it likely then that we would steal from your master’s house silver or gold?

Remember how we returned to you from the land of Canaan with the money we found in the top of our bags. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your owner’s house?

9 W ith whomever of your servants is found, not only let that one die, but the rest of us will be my lord’s slaves.

If the cup is found with any of your servants, let him be put to death. And the others of us will be your servants.”

10 A nd the steward said, Now let it be as you say: he with whom is found shall be my slave, but you shall be blameless.

He answered, “Let it be as you say. He who is found to have the cup will be my servant. But you others will be without blame.”

11 T hen quickly every man lowered his sack to the ground and every man opened his sack.

Then each man put his bag down on the ground in a hurry and opened it.

12 A nd searched, beginning with the eldest and stopping with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

The man looked for it, beginning with the oldest and stopping with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s bag.

13 T hen they rent their clothes; and after each man had loaded his donkey again, they returned to the city.

Then they tore their clothes. After each man loaded his donkey again, they returned to the city.

14 J udah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house, for he was still there; and they fell prostrate before him.

When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell to the ground in front of him.

15 J oseph said to them, What is this thing that you have done? Do you not realize that such a man as I can certainly detect and know by divination ?

Joseph said to them, “What is this that you have done? Did you not know that a man like me has power to know what is not known by others?”

16 A nd Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? What shall we reply? Or how shall we clear ourselves, since God has found out and exposed the iniquity of your servants? Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, the rest of us as well as he with whom the cup is found.

Judah said, “We do not know what to say to my lord. How can we make ourselves right in your eyes? God has shown the guilt of your servants. See, we are your servants, both we and the one who was found with the cup.”

17 B ut said, God forbid that I should do that; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, arise and go in peace to your father.

But Joseph said, “No. I will do no such thing. The person who was found with the cup will be my servant. But you others may go in peace to your father.”

18 T hen Judah came close to and said, O my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word to you in private, and let not your anger blaze against your servant, for you are as Pharaoh.

Then Judah came near to him, and said, “O my lord, let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears. Do not be angry with your servant. For you are like Pharaoh himself.

19 M y lord asked his servants, saying, Have you a father or a brother?

My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

20 A nd we said to my lord, We have a father—an old man—and a young child of his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s, and his father loves him.

We said to my lord, ‘We have an old father and a young brother who was born to him when he was old. Now his brother is dead. So he is all that is left of his mother, and his father loves him.’

21 A nd 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 here to me, so I may see him.’

22 A nd we said to my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should do so, his father would die.

But we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. For if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

23 A nd you told your servants, Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you shall not see my face again.

Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes here with you, you will not see my face again.’

24 A nd when we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said.

“When we returned to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said.

25 A nd our father said, Go again and buy us a little food.

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

26 B ut we said, We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face except our youngest brother is with us.

But we said, ‘We cannot go there. If our youngest brother is with us, we will go there. For we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’

27 A nd your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two sons:

“Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave birth to two of my sons.

28 A nd the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn to pieces, and I have never seen him since.

One left me, and I said, “For sure he is torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since.

29 A nd if you take this son also from me, and harm or accident should befall him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow and evil to Sheol (the place of the dead).

If you take this one also from me, and something happens to him, you will bring my white hair down to the grave in sorrow.’

30 N ow therefore, when I come to your servant my father and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life and his soul knit with the lad’s soul,

My father’s life and the boy’s life are one. If I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us,

31 W hen he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die; and your servants will be responsible for his death and will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.

when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. So your servants will bring the white hair of your servant our father down to the grave in sorrow.

32 F or your servant became security for the lad to my father, saying, If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.

For I put myself as trust for the boy to my father. I said, ‘If I do not return him to you, then let the blame be on me forever.’

33 N ow therefore, I pray you, let your servant remain instead of the youth a slave to my lord, and let the young man go home with his brothers.

So let your servant stay and work for my lord, instead of the boy. Let the boy go home with his brothers.

34 F or how can I go up to my father if the lad is not with me?—lest I witness the woe and the evil that will come upon my father.

For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I am afraid to see the sorrow that my father would suffer.”