|
[1]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.
[2]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.
[3]As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they, and their asses.
[4]And when they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, Arise, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say to them, Why have ye rewarded evil for good?
[5]Is not this the cup in which my lord drinketh, and by which indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
[6]And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.
[7]And they said to him, Why saith my lord these words? Far be it from us that thy servants should do according to this thing:
[8]Behold, the money which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again to thee from the land of Canaan: how then should we steal from thy lord's house silver or gold?
[9]With whom soever of thy servants it shall be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bond-men.
[10]And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it shall be found, shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
[11]Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man 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 loaded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
[14]And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house, (for he was yet there:) and they fell before him on the ground.
[15]And Joseph said to them, What deed is this that ye have done? knew ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
[16]And Judah said, What shall we say to 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.
[17]And he said, Far be it from me that I should do so: the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go in peace to your father.
[18]Then Judah came near to him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thy anger burn 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 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 loveth him.
[21]And thou saidst to thy servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.
[22]And we said to my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
[23]And thou saidst to thy servants, Except your youngest brother shall come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
[24]And it came to pass, when we came to thy servant, my father, we told him the words of my lord.
[25]And our father said, Go again; buy us a little food.
[26]And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother shall be with us, then will we go down; for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother shall be with us.
[27]And thy servant my father, said to us, Ye know that my wife bore me two sons:
[28]And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since:
[29]And if ye take this also from me, and mischief shall befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
[30]Now therefore, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; (seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life)
[31]It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants will bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father, with sorrow to the grave.
[32]For thy servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, then I will bear the blame to my father for ever.
[33]Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad, a bond-man to my lord; and let the lad return with his brethren.
[34]For how shall I return to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.
|