[[Genesis 43|<< Genesis 43]] | [[Genesis|Genesis]] | [[Genesis 45|Genesis 45 >>]] ### Genesis 44 1 AND 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. ^1 2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. ^2 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. ^3 4 _And_ when they were gone out of the city, _and_ not _yet_ far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? ^4 5 _Is_ not this _it_ in which my lord drinks, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. ^5 6 ¶ And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these same words. ^6 7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: ^7 8 Behold, 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? ^8 9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen. ^9 10 And he said, Now also _let_ it _be_ according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. ^10 11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. ^11 12 And he searched, _and_ began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. ^12 13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. ^13 14 ¶ And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he _was_ yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. ^14 15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed _is_ this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? ^15 16 And 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 servants: behold, we _are_ my lord's servants, both we, and _he_ also with whom the cup is found. ^16 17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: _but_ the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. ^17 18 ¶ Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou _art_ even as Pharaoh. ^18 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? ^19 20 And we said 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, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him. ^20 21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. ^21 22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for _if_ he should leave his father, _his_ _father_ would die. ^22 23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. ^23 24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. ^24 25 And our father said, Go again, _and_ buy us a little food. ^25 26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother _be_ with us. ^26 27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bore me two _sons:_ ^27 28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: ^28 29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. ^29 30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad _be_ not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; ^30 31 It shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad _is_ not _with_ _us_, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. ^31 32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. ^32 33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a servant to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. ^33 34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad _be_ not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. ^34