Genesis 44 · Parashot Miketz–Vayigash

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 the mouth of his sack.

And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Yosef 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, Yosef said to his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say to them, Why have you rewarded evil for good?

Is not this that from which my lord drinks, and whereby indeed he divines? you have done evil in so doing.

And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.

And they said to him, Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from thy servants to do according to this thing:

behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to thee out of the land of Kena῾an: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold?

With whomever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.

And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and you 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 began at the eldest, and ended at the youngest: and the cup was found in Binyamin’s sack.

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

And Yehuda and his brethren came to Yosef’s house; for he was still there: and they fell before him to the ground.

And Yosef said to them, What deed is this that you have done? do you not know that such a man as I can certainly divine?

And Yehuda said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s bondmen, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

And he said, Far be it from me that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my bondman; and as for you, go up in peace to your father.

Then Yehuda came near to him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thy anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Par῾o.

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

And we said to 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 loves him.

And thou didst say to thy servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.

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

And thou didst say to thy servants, Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.

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

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

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, unless our youngest brother is with us.

And thy servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two sons:

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

and if you take this also from me, and mischief befall him, you shall bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to She᾽ol.

Now 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;

it shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the grey hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to She᾽ol.

For thy servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, then I shall have sinned to my father for ever.

Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant remain instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers.

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