The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 44 -

Afterward he commanded his steward, saying, Fill the mens sackes with foode, as much as they can carry, and put euery mans money in his sackes mouth.

And put my cup, I meane the siluer cup, in the sackes mouth of the yongest, and his corne money. And he did according to the commandement that Ioseph gaue him.

And in the morning the men were sent away, they, and their asses.

And when they went out of the citie not farre off, Ioseph sayd to his stewarde, Vp, follow after the men: and when thou doest ouertake them, say vnto them, Wherefore haue ye rewarded euill for good?

Is that not the cuppe, wherein my Lord drinketh? and in the which he doeth deuine and prophecie? ye haue done euill in so doing.

And when he ouertooke them, he sayde those wordes vnto them.

And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes? God forbid that thy seruants should do such a thing.

Behold, the money which we found in our sackes mouthes, wee brought againe to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steale out of thy lordes house siluer or golde?

With whomesoeuer of thy seruants it bee found, let him dye, and we also will be my lordes bondmen.

And he said, Now then let it be according vnto your wordes: he with whome it is found, shall be my seruant, and ye shalbe blamelesse.

Then at once euery man tooke downe his sacke to the grounde, and euery one opened his sacke.

And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the yongest: and the cuppe was found in Beniamins sacke.

Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, and went againe into the citie.

So Iudah and his brethren came to Iosephs house (for he was yet there) and they fel before him on the ground.

Then Ioseph sayd vnto them, What acte is this, which ye haue done? know ye not that such a man as I, can deuine and prophecie?

Then sayd Iudah, What shall we say vnto my lord? what shall we speake? and howe can we iustifie our selues? God hath found out the wickednesse of thy seruants: beholde, we are seruants to my Lord, both wee, and he, with whome the cuppe is founde.

But he answered, God forbid, that I should doe so, but the man, with whome the cuppe is founde, he shalbe my seruant, and go ye in peace vnto your father.

Judah Pleads for Benjamin

Then Iudah drewe neere vnto him, and sayde, O my Lord, let thy seruant nowe speake a worde in my lordes eares, and let not thy wrath be kindled against thy seruant: for thou art euen as Pharaoh.

My Lord asked his seruants, saying, Haue ye a father, or a brother?

And we answered my Lord, We haue a father that is olde, and a young childe, which he begate in his age: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loueth him.

Now thou saidest vnto thy seruants, Bring him vnto me, that I may set mine eye vpon him.

And we answered my lord, The childe can not depart from his father: for if he leaue his father, his father would die.

Then saydest thou vnto thy seruants, Except your yonger brother come downe with you, looke in my face no more.

So when we came vnto thy seruant our father, and shewed him what my lord had sayd,

And our father sayde vnto vs, Goe againe, bye vs a litle foode,

Then we answered, We can not go downe: but if our yongest brother go with vs, then will we go downe: for we may not see the mans face, except our yongest brother be with vs.

Then thy seruant my father sayde vnto vs, Ye knowe that my wife bare me two sonnes,

And the one went out from me, and I said, Of a suretie he is torne in pieces, and I sawe him not since.

Nowe yee take this also away from me: if death take him, then yee shall bring my graye head in sorowe to the graue.

Nowe therefore, when I come to thy seruant my father, and the childe be not with vs (seeing that his life dependeth on the childes life)

Then when hee shall see that the childe is not come, he will die: so shall thy seruants bring the graye head of thy seruant our father with sorowe to the graue.

Doubtlesse thy seruant became suertie for the childe to my father, and said, If I bring him not vnto thee againe, then I will beare the blame vnto my father for euer.

Nowe therefore, I pray thee, let me thy seruant bide for the childe, as a seruant to my Lord, and let the childe go vp with his brethren.

For how can I go vp to my father, if the childe be not with me, vnlesse I woulde see the euil that shall come on my father?

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.

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.

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

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?

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

He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

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!

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?

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

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.”

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

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

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

Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.

Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”

Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? 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.”

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.”

Judah Pleads for Benjamin

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.

My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

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.’

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

We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

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

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

Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’

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.’

Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.

One went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since.

If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’(a)

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;

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.(b)

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.’

Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up with his brothers.

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.”

Footnotes

(a)44:29 Sheol is the place of the dead.

(b)44:31 Sheol is the place of the dead.