Genesis 44

1Then Joseph instructedH6680 his stewardH834H5921H1004H559: “Fill the men’sH582 sacksH572 withH4390 as much foodH400 asH834 they canH3201 carryH5375, and putH7760 each one’sH376 silverH3701 in the mouthH6310 of his sackH572. 2PutH7760 my cupH1375, the silverH3701 oneH1375, in the mouthH6310 of the youngest one’sH6996 sackH572, along with the silverH3701 for his grainH7668.”

So the steward didH6213H1697 as JosephH3130 had instructedH1696.

3At daybreakH1242H215, the menH582 were sent on their wayH7971H1992 with their donkeysH2543. 4TheyH1992 had notH3808 goneH3318 farH7368 from the cityH5892 when JosephH3130 toldH559 his stewardH834H5921H1004, “PursueH7291H310 the menH582 at onceH6965, and when you overtake themH5381, askH559H413, ‘WhyH4100 have you repaidH7999 goodH8478H2896 with evilH7451?1 5Is this notH3808H2088 the cup2 my masterH113 drinks fromH8354 and uses for divinationH5172? WhatH834 you have doneH6213 is wickedH7489!’”

6When the steward overtook themH5381, he relayedH1696 theseH428 wordsH1697 to themH413.

7“WhyH4100 does my lordH113 sayH1696 theseH428 thingsH1697?” they askedH559H413. “Your servantsH5650 could not possiblyH2486 doH6213 suchH2088 a thingH1697. 8We even brought backH2005H7725 to youH413 from the landH776 of CanaanH3667 the silverH3701 we foundH4672 in the mouthsH6310 of our sacksH572. WhyH349 would we stealH1589 silverH3701 orH176 goldH2091 from your master’sH113 houseH1004? 9If anyH834 of your servantsH5650 is foundH4672 to have itH854, he must dieH4191, and the restH587H1571 will becomeH1961 slavesH5650 of my lordH113.”

10“As you sayH1571H6258H1697,” replied the stewardH559H3651. “But only the oneH1931 whoH834 is foundH4672 withH854 the cup will beH1961 my slaveH5650, and the rest of youH859 shall beH1961 free of blameH5355.”

11So eachH376 one quicklyH4116 loweredH3381 his sackH572 to the groundH776 and openedH6605H376 itH572. 12The steward searchedH2664, beginningH2490 with the oldestH1419 and endingH3615 with the youngestH6996—and the cupH1375 was foundH4672 in Benjamin’sH1144 sackH572. 13Then they all toreH7167 their clothesH8071, loadedH6006 their donkeysH2543, and returnedH7725 to the cityH5892.

14When JudahH3063 and his brothersH251 arrived atH935 Joseph’sH3130 houseH1004, heH1931 was stillH5750 thereH8033, and they fellH5307 to the groundH776 before himH6440.

15“WhatH4100 is thisH2088 deedH4639 you have doneH6213?” JosephH3130 declaredH559. “Do you notH3808 knowH3045 thatH3588 a manH376 like meH3644 can surely divine the truthH5172?”

16“WhatH4100 can we sayH559 to my lordH113?” JudahH3063 repliedH559. “HowH4100 can we pleadH1696? HowH4100 can we justify ourselvesH6663? GodH430 has exposedH4672 the iniquityH5771 of your servantsH5650. We are nowH2005 my lord’sH113 slavesH5650—bothH1571 weH587 andH1571 the oneH834 who was foundH4672 withH3027 the cupH1375.”

17But Joseph repliedH559, “Far be itH2486 from me to doH6213 thisH2063. The manH376 whoH834 was foundH4672 withH3027H1931 the cupH1375 will beH1961 my slaveH5650. The rest of youH859 may returnH5927 toH413 your fatherH1 in peaceH7965.”

Judah Pleads for Benjamin

18Then JudahH3063 approachedH5066 Joseph and saidH559, “SirH994H113, pleaseH4994 let your servantH5650H1697H241 speakH1696 personally to my lordH113. Do notH408 be angryH2734H639 with your servantH5650, forH3588 you are equal toH3644 Pharaoh himselfH6547. 19My lordH113 askedH7592 his servantsH5650H559, ‘Do you haveH3426 a fatherH1 orH176 a brotherH251?’

20And we answeredH559H413H113, ‘We haveH3426 an elderlyH2205 fatherH1 and a younger brotherH6996, the childH3206 of his old ageH2208. The boy’s brotherH251 is deadH4191. HeH1931 is the onlyH905 one of his mother’sH517 sons leftH3498, and his fatherH1 loves himH157.’

21Then you toldH559H413 your servantsH5650, ‘Bring him downH3381 to meH413 so that I can seeH7760 himH5921 for myselfH5869.’

22So we saidH559 toH413 my lordH113, ‘The boyH5288 cannotH3808H3201 leaveH5800 his fatherH1. If he were to leaveH5800, his fatherH1 would dieH4191.’

23But you saidH559 toH413 your servantsH5650, ‘UnlessH518H3808 your youngerH6996 brotherH251 comes downH3381 with youH854, you will notH3808 seeH7200 my faceH6440 againH3254.’

24Now whenH1961H3588 we returnedH5927 toH413 your servantH5650 my fatherH1, we relayedH5046 your wordsH1697H113 to himH853.

25Then our fatherH1 saidH559, ‘Go backH7725 and buyH7666 us someH4592 foodH400.’

26But we answeredH559, ‘We cannotH3808H3201 go down thereH3381 unlessH518H3426 our youngerH6996 brotherH251 goesH3381H3588 with usH854. So if our youngerH6996 brotherH251 is notH369 with usH854, we cannotH3808H3201 seeH7200H6440 the manH376.’

27And your servantH5650 my fatherH1 saidH559 to usH413, ‘YouH859 knowH3045 thatH3588 my wifeH802 boreH3205 me two sonsH8147. 28When one of themH259 was goneH3318H854, I saidH559: “SurelyH389 he has been torn to piecesH2963.” And I have notH3808 seen himH7200H5704 sinceH2008. 29Now if you also takeH3947 this oneH2088 fromH5973 meH6440 and harmH611 comes to himH7136, you will bring my gray hairH7872 downH3381 to SheolH7585 in sorrowH7451.’

30SoH6258 if the boyH5288 is notH369 with usH854 when I returnH935 toH413 your servantH5650, and if my fatherH1, whose lifeH5315 is wrapped upH7194 in the boy’s lifeH5315, 31seesH7200 thatH3588 the boyH5288 is notH369 with us, he will dieH4191. Then your servantsH5650 will have brought the gray hairH7872 of your servantH5650 our fatherH1 downH3381 to SheolH7585 in sorrowH3015. 32IndeedH3588, your servantH5650 guaranteedH6148 the boy’s safetyH5288 toH5973 my fatherH1, sayingH559, ‘IfH518 I do notH3808 return himH935 to youH413, I willH3605 bear the guiltH2398 before you, my fatherH1, all my lifeH3117.’

33NowH6258 pleaseH4994 let your servantH5650 stay hereH3427 as my lord’sH113H5288 slaveH5650 in place ofH8478 the boyH5288. Let him returnH5927 withH5973 his brothersH251. 34ForH3588 howH349 can I go backH5927 toH413 my fatherH1 withoutH369H854 the boyH5288? I could not bearH6435 to seeH7200 the miseryH7451 thatH834 would overwhelmH4672 him.”