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.

He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth.

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 cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

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

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and 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 gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?

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.’”

Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”

6 S o he overtook them and spoke these words to them.

He overtook them, and he 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.

They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should 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?

Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?

9 W ith whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

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 said, “Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.”

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

Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

12 H e searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 T hen they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.

Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and 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.

Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before 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 deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed divine?”

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, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? Or how will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”

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.”

He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up 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, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh.

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

My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you 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 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 T hen you said to your servants, ‘ Bring him down to me that I may set my eyes on him.’

You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on 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.’

We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t 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.’

You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’

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 came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 O ur father said, ‘Go back, buy us a little food.’

Our father said, ‘Go again, 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.’

We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not 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;

Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You 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.

and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces”; and I haven’t 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 harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’

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,

Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’s life;

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.

it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol.

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 your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father 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.

Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up 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 will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will come on my father.”