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

2 a nd put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with the money of his wheat. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

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

4 A nd when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Rise up, follow after those men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Why have ye rewarded evil for good?

5 I s this not the one in which my lord drinks and in which indeed he divines? Ye have done evil in so doing.

6 W hen he overtook them, he spoke unto them these same words.

7 A nd they said unto him, Why saith my lord these words? In no wise should thy slaves do according to this thing.

8 B ehold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan; how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold?

9 W ith whoever of thy slaves it is found, both let him die and we also will be my lord’s bond slaves.

10 A nd he said, Now also let it be according unto your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and ye shall be blameless.

11 T hen they made haste, and each one took his sack down to the ground, and each one opened his sack.

12 A nd he searched and began at the eldest and finished at the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 T hen they rent their clothes, and each one laded his ass, and they returned to the city.

14 A nd Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house, for he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.

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

16 T hen Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of thy slaves; behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup is found.

17 A nd he said, in no wise should I do so; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my slave; and as for you, go up in peace unto your father.

18 ¶ Then Judah came near unto him and said, Oh my lord, let thy slave, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy slave; for thou art even as Pharaoh.

19 M y lord asked his slaves, saying, Have ye a father or a brother?

20 A nd we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a young man of his old age, yet a lad; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.

21 A nd thou didst say unto thy slaves, Bring him down unto me that I may set my eyes upon him.

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

23 A nd thou didst say unto thy slaves, Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

24 A nd it came to pass when we came up unto thy slave my father, we told him the words of my lord.

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

26 A nd 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 T hen thy slave my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bore me two sons;

28 a nd the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces, and I have not seen him since;

29 a nd if ye take this one also from me and some disaster should befall him, ye shall bring my gray hairs with sorrow down to Sheol.

30 N ow therefore when I come to thy slave my father, and the lad is not with us, seeing that his soul is bound up in the lad’s soul,

31 i t shall come to pass when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy slaves shall bring the gray hairs of thy slave our father down with sorrow to Sheol.

32 F or thy slave became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the sin before my father for ever.

33 N ow therefore, I pray thee, let thy slave remain instead of the lad as a bond slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren.

34 F or how shall I go up to my father and the lad not be with me? I cannot go lest I see the evil that shall come on my father.