THE FIRST BOOK OF
MOSES,
called
G E N E S I S
Genesis 44 ©
Joseph dismisses his brethren, having caused everyone’s money to be put into his sack again, and his own cup into Benjamin’s besides, vs. 1, etc. After that they are pursued and charged with theft by him, whereat being greatly perplexed, they ignorantly make themselves and the guilty one liable to punishment, 4. The cup is found in Benjamin’s sack, whereat being much astonished, they return to Joseph, submitting themselves to his punishment: yet Judah speaks much and earnestly on Benjamin’s behalf, supplicating to remain in his stead, 12.
AND 1he 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.
And put my 2cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the 3youngest, 4and his corn money. And 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 asses.
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?
Is not 5this it in which my lord drinketh, and 6whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
¶And he overtook them, and he spake unto them 7these same words.
And 8they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord 9these words? God forbid 10that thy servants should do according to this thing:
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?
With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, 11both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
And he said, 12Now also let it be 13according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be 14blameless.
Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
And he searched, and 15began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
Then they 16rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
¶And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for 17he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly 18divine?
And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or 19how shall we clear ourselves? God hath 20found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also 21with whom the cup is found.
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 22peace unto your father.
¶Then Judah came near unto him, and said, 23Oh 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 24thou art even as Pharaoh.
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a 25child 26of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bringa him down unto me, that I may 27set mine eyes upon him.
And we said unto my lord, The lad 28cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would 29die.
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Exceptb your youngest brother come down with you, ye 30shall see my face no more.
And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
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.
And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my 31wife bare me 32two sons:
And the one went out from me, andc I said, Surely he 33is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, yed shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow 34to the grave.
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that 35his life is bound up in the lad's life;
It shall come to pass, when he seeth 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.
For 36thy servant became surety for the lad 37unto my father, saying, Ife I bring him not unto thee, then I 38shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
Now therefore, I pray thee, 39let 40thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that 41shall come on my father.