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[1]Afterward he commanded his steward, 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.
[2]And put my cup, I mean the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the commandment that Joseph gave him.
[3]And in the morning the men were sent away, they, and their asses.
[4]And when they went out of the city not far off, Joseph said to his steward, Up, follow after the men: and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
[5]Is that not the cup, wherein my Lord drinketh? And in the which he doth divine and prophesy? Ye have done evil in so doing.
[6]And when he overtook them, he said those words unto them.
[7]And they answered him, Wherefore saith my lord such words? God forbid that thy servants should do such a thing.
[8]Behold, the money which we found in our sack's mouths, we brought again to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
[9]With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
[10]And he said, Now then let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found, shall be my servant, and ye shall be blameless.
[11]Then at once every man took down his sack to the ground, and every one opened his sack.
[12]And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
[13]Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and went again into the city.
[14]So Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house (for he was yet there) and they fell before him on the ground.
[15]Then Joseph said unto them, What act is this, which ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I, can divine and prophesy?
[16]Then said Judah, What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God hath found out the wickedness of thy servants: behold, we are servants to my Lord, both we, and he, with whom the cup is found.
[17]But he answered, God forbid, that I should do so, but the man, with whom the cup is found, he shall be my servant, and go ye in peace unto your father.
[18]Then Judah drew near unto him, and said, O my Lord, let thy servant now speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thy wrath be kindled against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.
[19]My Lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
[20]And we answered my Lord, We have a father that is old, and a young child, which he begat in his age: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
[21]Now thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him unto me, that I may set mine eye upon him.
[22]And we answered my lord, The child cannot depart from his father: for if he leave his father, his father would die.
[23]Then saidst thou unto thy servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, look in my face no more.
[24]So when we came unto thy servant our father, and showed him what my lord had said,
[25]And our father said unto us, Go again, buy us a little food,
[26]Then we answered, We cannot go down: but if our youngest brother go with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
[27]Then thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bear me two sons,
[28]And the one went out from me, and I said, Of a surety he is torn in pieces, and I saw him not since.
[29]Now ye take this also away from me: if death take him, then ye shall bring my gray head in sorrow to the grave.
[30]Now therefore, when I come to thy servant my father, and the child be not with us (seeing that his life dependeth on the child's life)
[31]Then when he shall see that the child is not come, he will die: so shall thy servants bring the gray head of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
[32]Doubtless thy servant became surety for the child to my father, and said, If I bring him not unto thee again, then I will bear the blame unto my father forever.
[33]Now therefore, I pray thee, let me thy servant abide for the child, as a servant to my Lord, and let the child go up with his brethren.
[34]For how can I go up to my father, if the child be not with me, unless I would see the evil that shall come on my father?
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