|
The First Book of Moses: Called Genesis, Chapter 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.
|