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The Book of Genesis
Genesis 44
- 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 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?
- 5
- Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby
indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
- 6
- And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same
words.
- 7
- And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these
words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
- 8
- 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?
- 9
- With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let
him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
- 10
- 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.
- 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 laded 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 unto them, What deed is this that ye
have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
- 16
- 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.
- 17
- 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.
- 18
- 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.
- 19
- My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or
a brother?
- 20
- 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.
- 21
- And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto
me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
- 22
- And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his
father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
- 23
- And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest
brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
- 24
- And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my
father, we told him the words of my lord.
- 25
- And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
- 26
- 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.
- 27
- And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my
wife bare me two sons:
- 28
- And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is
torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
- 29
- And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall
him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
- 30
- 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;
- 31
- 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.
- 32
- 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.
- 33
- 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.
- 34
- 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.
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