¶ And he commanded the steward¹ of his house, saying, Fill the² men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.

³And 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.

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up⁴, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore⁵ have ye rewarded evil for good?

Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth⁶? ye have done evil in so doing.

And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.

⁷And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

Behold, the money⁸, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then⁹ should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both¹⁰ let him die, and we¹¹ also will be my lord's bondmen.

¶ And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom¹² it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

And he searched, and began¹³ at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup¹⁴ was found in Benjamin's sack.

¹⁵Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet¹⁶ there: and they fell¹⁷ before him on the ground.

And Joseph said unto them, What¹⁸ deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not¹⁹ that such a man as I can certainly divine²⁰?

And Judah²¹ said, What shall we say²² unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath²³ found out the iniquity²⁴ of thy servants: behold,²⁵ we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

And he said, God forbid²⁶ that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall²⁷ be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace²⁸ unto your father.

¶ Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord²⁹, let thy³⁰ servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger³¹ burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh³².

³³My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

¶ And we said³⁴ unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child³⁵ of his old age, a little one; and his brother³⁶ is dead, and he alone³⁷ is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring³⁸ him down unto me, that I may³⁹ set mine eyes upon him.

And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die⁴⁰.

⁴¹And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him⁴² the words of my lord.

⁴³And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.

⁴⁴And 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.

⁴⁵And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:

And the one⁴⁶ went out from me, and I said, Surely⁴⁷ he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

And if⁴⁸ ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow⁴⁹ to the grave.

¶ Now therefore when I⁵⁰ come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life⁵¹ is bound up in the lad's life;

It shall come to pass, when he⁵² seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall⁵³ bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave⁵⁴.

⁵⁵For 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.

Now therefore,⁵⁶ I pray thee,⁵⁷ let thy servant abide instead⁵⁸ of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest⁵⁹ peradventure I see the evil that shall come on⁶⁰ my father.