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[1] Afterward he commanded his steward, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.
[2] And put my cup, I mean the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the commandment that Joseph gave him.
[3] And in the morning the men were sent away, they, and their asses.
[4] And when they went out of the city not far off, Joseph said to his steward, Up, follow after the men: and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
[5] Is that not the cup, wherein my Lord drinketh? And in the which he doth divine and prophesy? Ye have done evil in so doing.
[6] And when he overtook them, he said those words unto them.
[7] And they answered him, Wherefore saith my lord such words? God forbid that thy servants should do such a thing.
[8] Behold, the money which we found in our sack's mouths, we brought again to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
[9] With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
[10] And he said, Now then let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found, shall be my servant, and ye shall be blameless.
[11] Then at once every man took down his sack to the ground, and every one opened his sack.
[12] And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
[13] Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and went again into the city.
[14] So Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house (for he was yet there) and they fell before him on the ground.
[15] Then Joseph said unto them, What act is this, which ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I, can divine and prophesy?
[16] Then said Judah, What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God hath found out the wickedness of thy servants: behold, we are servants to my Lord, both we, and he, with whom the cup is found.
[17] But he answered, God forbid, that I should do so, but the man, with whom the cup is found, he shall be my servant, and go ye in peace unto your father.
[18] Then Judah drew near unto him, and said, O my Lord, let thy servant now speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thy wrath be kindled against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.
[19] My Lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
[20] And we answered my Lord, We have a father that is old, and a young child, which he begat in his age: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
[21] Now thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him unto me, that I may set mine eye upon him.
[22] And we answered my lord, The child cannot depart from his father: for if he leave his father, his father would die.
[23] Then saidst thou unto thy servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, look in my face no more.
[24] So when we came unto thy servant our father, and showed him what my lord had said,
[25] And our father said unto us, Go again, buy us a little food,
[26] Then we answered, We cannot go down: but if our youngest brother go with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
[27] Then thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bear me two sons,
[28] And the one went out from me, and I said, Of a surety he is torn in pieces, and I saw him not since.
[29] Now ye take this also away from me: if death take him, then ye shall bring my gray head in sorrow to the grave.
[30] Now therefore, when I come to thy servant my father, and the child be not with us (seeing that his life dependeth on the child's life)
[31] Then when he shall see that the child is not come, he will die: so shall thy servants bring the gray head of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
[32] Doubtless thy servant became surety for the child to my father, and said, If I bring him not unto thee again, then I will bear the blame unto my father forever.
[33] Now therefore, I pray thee, let me thy servant abide for the child, as a servant to my Lord, and let the child go up with his brethren.
[34] For how can I go up to my father, if the child be not with me, unless I would see the evil that shall come on my father?
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