-
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.
02 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.
03 As soon as the morning was light, the
men were sent away, they and their asses.
04 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?
05 Is not this it in which my lord
drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have
done evil in so doing.
06 And he overtook them, and he spake unto
them these same words.
07 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith
my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants
should do according to this thing:
08 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?
09 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.
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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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