Then he commanded the man who was over his house, and said, Fill the men's pouches with food, as much as they can carry; and put each man's silver in the mouth of his pouch. 2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the pouch of the youngest of them, with his corn money. So he did exactly as Joseph had said. 3 As the morning grew light, the men were dismissed with their asses. 4 When they had gone out of the city, but were not far away, Joseph said to the man who was over his house, Quick! Pursue the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, Why have you returned evil for good? 5 Is this not what my lord drinks from, and what he most certainly divines by? You have done evil in what you have done.

6 And he overtook them, and spoke these words to them. 7 And they said to him, Why does my lord say such things as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing. 8 See, the silver which we found in the mouth of our pouches we brought to you from the land of Canaan; so why should we steal silver or gold from your lord's house? 9 Whichever one of your servants is found with it, let him die; and we also will be slaves to my lord. 10 And he said, Very well, let it be as you say; whichever one it is found with shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless. 11 Then they hurried, and each man lifted his pouch to the ground, and each one opened his pouch. 12 And he searched thoroughly; he began with the eldest and finished with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's pouch. 13 Then they tore their clothes; and each one loaded his ass, and they returned to the city.

14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, for he was still there, they fell before him to the earth. 15 And Joseph said to them, What is this thing that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed use divination? 16 Then Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? How shall we speak? And how shall we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; see, we are my lord's slaves, we and he in whose hands the cup has been found. 17 And Joseph said, Far be it from me to do such a thing. Only the man in whose hands the cup was found shall be my slave; but as for you, go back in peace to your father.

18 Then Judah approached him and said, O my lord, I beg that your servant may speak a word in my lord's ears, and that your anger may not burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants, and said, Have you a father, or a brother? 20 And we said to my lord, We have a father, an old man, and there is a child of his old age, the youngest one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him. 21 And you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, so that I may set my eyes on him. 22 But we said to my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for should he leave his father, his father would die. 23 Then you said to your servants, Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again. 24 And when we went up to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said. 25 And our father said, Go back and buy a little food for us. 26 But we said, We cannot go back; only if our youngest brother is with us will we go back, for we shall not see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us. 27 And your servant my father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 And one was lost to me, and I said, He is certainly torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since. 29 And if you take this one away from me also, and he comes to harm, you will bring down my grey hairs in sorrow to Sheol. 30 So now when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, then since his life is bound up with the lad's life, 31 he will die when he sees that the lad is not with us; and your servants will bring down the grey hairs of your servant our father in sorrow to Sheol. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, and I said, If I do not bring him back to you, I shall be guilty before my father all my life. 33 So now, I beg you, let your servant stay instead of the lad, as a slave to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 For how can I go up to my father if the lad is not with me? Otherwise I shall see the evil which will come upon my father.