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
.
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
.
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 this it in which my lord drinketh
, and whereby indeed
he divineth
? ye have done evil
in so doing
.
And he overtook them, and he spake
unto them these same
words
.
And they said unto him, Wherefore saith
my lord
these words
? God forbid
that 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
, both let him die
, and we also will be my lord's
bondmen
.
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
.
Then they speedily took down
every man
his sack
to the ground
, and opened
every man
his sack
.
And he searched, and began
at the eldest
, and left
at the youngest
: and the cup
was found
in Benjamin's
sack
.
Then they rent their clothes
, and laded
every man
his ass
, and returned
to the city
.
And Judah and his brethren
came
to Joseph's
house
; for he 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
divine
?
And Judah said
, What shall we say
unto my lord
? what shall we speak
? or how shall we clear ourselves
? God
hath 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
.
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
.
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
.
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 child
of 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
, Bring him down
unto me, that I may set
mine eyes
upon him.
And we said unto my lord
, The lad
cannot
leave
his father
: for if he should leave
his father
, his father would die
.
And thou saidst unto thy servants
, Except
your youngest
brother
come down
with you, ye shall 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 wife
bare
me two
sons :
And the one went out
from me, and I said
, Surely
he is torn in pieces
; and I saw him
not since
:
And if ye take this also from
me
, and mischief
befall him
, ye shall bring down
my gray hairs
with sorrow
to the grave
.
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
;
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 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
.
Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy 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 shall come on
my father
.