The Book of Genesis

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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 hissteward, 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 beblameless.

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 wasfound 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 healso 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.
Genesis 45

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