Geneva1599 - Genesis - 44

44:1  Afterward he commanded his steward, saying, Fill the mens sackes with foode, as much as they can carry, and put euery mans money in his sackes mouth.

44:2  And put my cup, I meane the siluer cup, in the sackes mouth of the yongest, and his corne money. And he did according to the commandement that Ioseph gaue him.

44:3  And in the morning the men were sent away, they, and their asses.

44:4  And when they went out of the citie not farre off, Ioseph sayd to his stewarde, Vp, follow after the men: and when thou doest ouertake them, say vnto them, Wherefore haue ye rewarded euill for good?

44:5  Is that not the cuppe, wherein my Lord drinketh? and in the which he doeth deuine and prophecie? ye haue done euill in so doing.

44:6  And when he ouertooke them, he sayde those wordes vnto them.

44:7  And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes? God forbid that thy seruants should do such a thing.

44:8  Behold, the money which we found in our sackes mouthes, wee brought againe to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steale out of thy lordes house siluer or golde?

44:9  With whomesoeuer of thy seruants it bee found, let him dye, and we also will be my lordes bondmen.

44:10  And he said, Now then let it be according vnto your wordes: he with whome it is found, shall be my seruant, and ye shalbe blamelesse.

44:11  Then at once euery man tooke downe his sacke to the grounde, and euery one opened his sacke.

44:12  And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the yongest: and the cuppe was found in Beniamins sacke.

44:13  Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, and went againe into the citie.

44:14  So Iudah and his brethren came to Iosephs house (for he was yet there) and they fel before him on the ground.

44:15  Then Ioseph sayd vnto them, What acte is this, which ye haue done? know ye not that such a man as I, can deuine and prophecie?

44:16  Then sayd Iudah, What shall we say vnto my lord? what shall we speake? and howe can we iustifie our selues? God hath found out the wickednesse of thy seruants: beholde, we are seruants to my Lord, both wee, and he, with whome the cuppe is founde.

44:17  But he answered, God forbid, that I should doe so, but the man, with whome the cuppe is founde, he shalbe my seruant, and go ye in peace vnto your father.

44:18  Then Iudah drewe neere vnto him, and sayde, O my Lord, let thy seruant nowe speake a worde in my lordes eares, and let not thy wrath be kindled against thy seruant: for thou art euen as Pharaoh.

44:19  My Lord asked his seruants, saying, Haue ye a father, or a brother?

44:20  And we answered my Lord, We haue a father that is olde, and a young childe, which he begate in his age: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loueth him.

44:21  Now thou saidest vnto thy seruants, Bring him vnto me, that I may set mine eye vpon him.

44:22  And we answered my lord, The childe can not depart from his father: for if he leaue his father, his father would die.

44:23  Then saydest thou vnto thy seruants, Except your yonger brother come downe with you, looke in my face no more.

44:24  So when we came vnto thy seruant our father, and shewed him what my lord had sayd,

44:25  And our father sayde vnto vs, Goe againe, bye vs a litle foode,

44:26  Then we answered, We can not go downe: but if our yongest brother go with vs, then will we go downe: for we may not see the mans face, except our yongest brother be with vs.

44:27  Then thy seruant my father sayde vnto vs, Ye knowe that my wife bare me two sonnes,

44:28  And the one went out from me, and I said, Of a suretie he is torne in pieces, and I sawe him not since.

44:29  Nowe yee take this also away from me: if death take him, then yee shall bring my graye head in sorowe to the graue.

44:30  Nowe therefore, when I come to thy seruant my father, and the childe be not with vs (seeing that his life dependeth on the childes life)

44:31  Then when hee shall see that the childe is not come, he will die: so shall thy seruants bring the graye head of thy seruant our father with sorowe to the graue.

44:32  Doubtlesse thy seruant became suertie for the childe to my father, and said, If I bring him not vnto thee againe, then I will beare the blame vnto my father for euer.

44:33  Nowe therefore, I pray thee, let me thy seruant bide for the childe, as a seruant to my Lord, and let the childe go vp with his brethren.

44:34  For how can I go vp to my father, if the childe be not with me, vnlesse I woulde see the euil that shall come on my father?