NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1He instructed the servant who was over his household, "Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack.

1Then he commanded his house steward, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack.

2Then put my cup--the silver cup--in the mouth of the youngest one's sack, along with the money for his grain." He did as Joseph instructed.

2"Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain." And he did as Joseph had told him.

3When morning came, the men and their donkeys were sent off.

3As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys.

4They had not gone very far from the city when Joseph said to the servant who was over his household, "Pursue the men at once! When you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid good with evil?

4They had just gone out of the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, "Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?

5Doesn't my master drink from this cup and use it for divination? You have done wrong!'"

5'Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.'"

6When the man overtook them, he spoke these words to them.

6So he overtook them and spoke these words to them.

7They answered him, "Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

7They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.

8Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master's house?

8"Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?

9If one of us has it, he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord's slaves!"

9"With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."

10He replied, "You have suggested your own punishment! The one who has it will become my slave, but the rest of you will go free."

10So he said, "Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent."

11So each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

11Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

12Then the man searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin's sack!

12He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

13Then they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.

14So Judah and his brothers came back to Joseph's house. He was still there, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.

14When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

15Joseph said to them, "What did you think you were doing? Don't you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?"

15Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice divination?"

16Judah replied, "What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has exposed the sin of your servants! We are now my lord's slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found."

16So Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord's slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found."

17But Joseph said, "Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of you may go back to your father in peace."

17But he said, "Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father."

18Then Judah approached him and said, "My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you. Please do not get angry with your servant, for you are just like Pharaoh.

18Then Judah approached him, and said, "Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord's ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh.

19My lord asked his servants, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

19"My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?'

20We said to my lord, 'We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. The boy's brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother's sons left, and his father loves him.'

20"We said to my lord, 'We have an old father and a little child of his old age. Now his brother is dead, so he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.'

21"Then you told your servants, 'Bring him down to me so I can see him.'

21"Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me that I may set my eyes on him.'

22We said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father will die.'

22"But we said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'

23But you said to your servants, 'If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.'

23"You said to your servants, however, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.'

24When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

24"Thus it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25"Then our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.'

25"Our father said, 'Go back, buy us a little food.'

26But we replied, 'We cannot go down there. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, for we won't be permitted to see the man's face if our youngest brother is not with us.'

26"But we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

27"Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife gave me two sons.

27"Your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons;

28The first disappeared and I said, "He has surely been torn to pieces." I have not seen him since.

28and the one went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces," and I have not seen him since.

29If you take this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair in tragedy to the grave.'

29'If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.'

30"So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us--his very life is bound up in his son's life.

30"Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life,

31When he sees the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave.

31when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.

32Indeed, your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.'

32"For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.'

33"So now, please let your servant remain as my lord's slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers.

33"Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.

34For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn't bear to see my father's pain."

34"For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me-- for fear that I see the evil that would overtake my father?"

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