1And 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 . 2And put my cup , the silver cup , in the sack’s mouth of the youngest , and his grain money . And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken . 3As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away , they and their asses . 4And when they were gone out of the city , and were 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 ? 5Is not this that in which my lord drinketh , and whereby he indeed divineth ? ye have done evil in so doing . 6And he overtook them , and he spake unto them these words . 7And they said unto him , Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these ? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing . 8Behold , 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 ? 9With whomsoever of thy servants it be found , let him die , and we also will be my lord’s bondmen . 10And he said , Now also let it be according unto your words : he with whom it is found shall be my bondman ; and ye shall be blameless . 11Then they hasted , and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. 12And he searched , and began at the eldest , and left off at the youngest : and the cup was found in Benjamin ’s sack. 13Then they rent their clothes , and laded every man his ass , and returned to the city .
Judah's Plea for Benjamin
14And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph ’s house ; and he was yet there : and they fell before him on the ground . 15And Joseph said unto them , What deed is this that ye have done ? know ye not that such a man as I can indeed divine ? 16And 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 bondmen , both we , and he also in whose hand the cup is found . 17And he said, Far be it from me that I should do so : the man in whose hand the cup is found , he shall be my bondman ; but as for you , get you up in peace unto your father. 18Then 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 . 19My lord asked his servants , saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? 20And 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 . 21And thou saidst unto thy servants , Bring him down unto me , that I may set mine eyes upon him . 22And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die . 23And thou saidst unto thy servants , Except your youngest brother come down with you , ye shall see my face no more . 24And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25And our father said, Go again , buy us a little food. 26And 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 . 27And thy servant my father said unto us , Ye know that my wife bare me two sons : 28and the one went out from me , and I said , Surely he is torn in pieces ; and I have not seen him since : 29and if ye take this one also from me , and harm befall him , ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol . 30Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us ; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad ’s life ; 31it will come to pass , when he seeth that the lad is not with us , that he will die : and thy servants will bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to Sheol . 32For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I bear the blame to my father for ever . 33Now therefore , let thy servant , I pray thee , abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. 34For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me ? lest I see the evil that shall come on my father.