Genesis 44:1

When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to his palace manager: "Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man's money back into his sack.

Genesis 44:2

Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother's sack, along with the money for his grain." So the manager did as Joseph instructed him.

Genesis 44:3

The brothers were up at dawn and were sent on their journey with their loaded donkeys.

Genesis 44:4

But when they had gone only a short distance and were barely out of the city, Joseph said to his palace manager, "Chase after them and stop them. When you catch up with them, ask them, 'Why have you repaid my kindness with such evil?

Genesis 44:5

Why have you stolen my master's silver cup, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done!' "

Genesis 44:6

When the palace manager caught up with the men, he spoke to them as he had been instructed.

Genesis 44:7

"What are you talking about?" the brothers responded. "We are your servants and would never do such a thing!

Genesis 44:8

Didn't we return the money we found in our sacks? We brought it back all the way from the land of Canaan. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house?

Genesis 44:9

If you find his cup with any one of us, let that man die. And all the rest of us, my lord, will be your slaves."

Genesis 44:10

"That's fair," the man replied. "But only the one who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go free."

Genesis 44:11

They all quickly took their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them.

Genesis 44:12

The palace manager searched the brothers' sacks, from the oldest to the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack!

Genesis 44:13

When the brothers saw this, they tore their clothing in despair. Then they loaded their donkeys again and returned to the city.

Genesis 44:14

Joseph was still in his palace when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him.

Genesis 44:15

"What have you done?" Joseph demanded. "Don't you know that a man like me can predict the future?"

Genesis 44:16

Judah answered, "Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we explain this? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves-- all of us, not just our brother who had your cup in his sack."

Genesis 44:17

"No," Joseph said. "I would never do such a thing! Only the man who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go back to your father in peace."

Genesis 44:18

Then Judah stepped forward and said, "Please, my lord, let your servant say just one word to you. Please, do not be angry with me, even though you are as powerful as Pharaoh himself.

Genesis 44:19

"My lord, previously you asked us, your servants, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

Genesis 44:20

And we responded, 'Yes, my lord, we have a father who is an old man, and his youngest son is a child of his old age. His full brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him very much.'

Genesis 44:21

"And you said to us, 'Bring him here so I can see him with my own eyes.'

Genesis 44:22

But we said to you, 'My lord, the boy cannot leave his father, for his father would die.'

Genesis 44:23

But you told us, 'Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you will never see my face again.'

Genesis 44:24

"So we returned to your servant, our father, and told him what you had said.

Genesis 44:25

Later, when he said, 'Go back again and buy us more food,'

Genesis 44:26

we replied, 'We can't go unless you let our youngest brother go with us. We'll never get to see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

Genesis 44:27

"Then my father said to us, 'As you know, my wife had two sons,

Genesis 44:28

and one of them went away and never returned. Doubtless he was torn to pieces by some wild animal. I have never seen him since.

Genesis 44:29

Now if you take his brother away from me, and any harm comes to him, you will send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave. '

Genesis 44:30

"And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father's life is bound up in the boy's life.

Genesis 44:31

If he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We, your servants, will indeed be responsible for sending that grieving, white-haired man to his grave.

Genesis 44:32

My lord, I guaranteed to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, 'If I don't bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever.'

Genesis 44:33

"So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.

Genesis 44:34

For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn't bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!"