New American Standard Bible 1995

English Standard Version

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.

1Then he commanded the steward of his house, “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,

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.

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

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

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

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?

4They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?

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.'"

5Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’”

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

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

7They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? 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!

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?

8Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?

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

9Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord’s servants.”

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."

10He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.”

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

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

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

12And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

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

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

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

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

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?"

15Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?”

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."

16And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.”

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."

17But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

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.

18Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.

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

19My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

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.'

20And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’

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

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

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

22We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

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

23Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.’

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

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

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

25And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’

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.'

26we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down. For we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’

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

27Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore 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.

28One left me, and I said, “Surely he has been torn to pieces,” and I have never seen him since.

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

29If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in evil to Sheol.’

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,

30“Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life,

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.

31as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.

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.'

32For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’

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.

33Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.

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?"

34For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org

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