1 T hen he commanded his house steward, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack.

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 P ut my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph had told him.

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 it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys.

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

4 T hey had just gone out of the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, “Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid 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 not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination? 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 S o he overtook them and spoke these words to them.

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

7 T hey said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? 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 B ehold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?

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 it is found, let him die, and we also 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 S o he said, “Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent.”

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 they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

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

12 H e searched, beginning with the oldest and ending 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 tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.

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

14 W hen Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground 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 deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice 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 S o Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been 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 he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up 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 approached him, and said, “Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to 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 W e said to my lord, ‘We have an old father and a little child of his old age. Now his brother is dead, so he alone is left of his mother, 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 T hen 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 B ut we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, 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 Y ou said to your servants, however, ‘ Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will 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 T hus it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

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

25 O ur father said, ‘Go back, 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 cannot see the man’s face unless 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 Y our 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 in pieces,” and I have not seen him since.

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

29 I f you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’

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,

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. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.

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 surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before 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, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up 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 shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me—for fear that I see the evil that would overtake 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.”