1And he commanded the superintendent of his house, saying, Fill the sacks of these men with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in the mouth of his sack.

2And my cup, the silver cup, thou shalt put in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and the money for his corn. And he did according to the word of Joseph which he had spoken.

3As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

4They were gone out of the city, not yet far off, when Joseph said unto the superintendent of his house, Up, follow after the men; and when thou hast overtaken them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye returned evil for good?

5Is not this out of which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

6And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these same words.

7And they said unto him, Wherefore will my lord speak such words as these? God forbid that thy servants should do any thing like this.

8Behold the money, which we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back 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 bondmen unto thy lord.

10And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; but ye shall be blameless.

11And they made haste, and every one of them took down his sack to the ground, and every one opened his sack.

12And he searched, at the eldest he began, and at the youngest he left off; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13Then they rent their clothes, and every one loaded his ass, and they returned to the city.

14And Judah and his brothers came into Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell down before him on the ground.

15And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? knew ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

16And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we justify ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold we are servants unto my lord, both we, as also he in whose hand the cup was found.

17And he said, God forbid that I should do this: the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go you up in peace unto your father.

18Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Pardon, 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 Pharaoh.

19My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother.

20And we said unto my lord, We have an old father, and a little child born in his old age; 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 my eye upon him.

22And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father, he would die.

23And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall not see my face any more.

24And it came to pass, when we came up unto thy servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord.

25And our father said, Go back and 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 cannot 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 bore me two sons;

28And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he hath been torn to pieces; and I have not seen him up to this time.

29And if ye take this one also from me, and mischief befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

30And now, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

31It will come to pass, that when he seeth that the lad is not with us, he will die: and thy servants would thus bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

32For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I have sinned against my father all the days.

33Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad as bond-man to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers.

34For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? I should perhaps be compelled to witness the evil which would come on my father.