Joseph has his silver cup hidden in Benjamin's sack, then accuses him of theft. Judah steps forward and offers to stay as a slave in Benjamin's place so his father will not die of grief.
1 And he commanded the steward of his house , 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 , the silver cup , in the sack's mouth of the youngest , and his corn money . And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken .
3 As soon as the morning was light , the men were sent away , they and their asses .
4 And when they were gone out of the city , and not yet far off , Joseph said unto 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 not this it in which my lord drinketh , and whereby indeed he divineth ? ye have done evil in so doing .
6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words .
7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words ? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing :
8 Behold, the money , which we found in our sacks ' mouths , we brought again unto 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 , both let him die , and we also will be my lord's bondmen .
10 And he said , Now also let it be according unto your words : he with whom it is found shall be my servant ; and ye shall be blameless .
11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground , and opened every man 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 returned to the city .
14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house ; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground .
15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done ? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine ?
16 And Judah said , What shall we say unto my lord ? what shall we speak ? or how shall we clear ourselves ? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants : behold, we are my lord's servants , both we, and he also with whom the cup is found .
17 And he said , God forbid that I should do so : but the man in whose hand the cup is found , he shall be my servant ; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father .
18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said , Oh my lord , let thy servant , I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears , and let not thine anger burn 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 said unto my lord , We have a father , an old man , and a child of his old age , a little one ; and his brother is dead , and he alone is left of his mother , and his father loveth him.
21 And thou saidst unto thy servants , Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
22 And we said unto my lord , The lad cannot leave his father : for if he should leave his father , his father would die .
23 And thou saidst unto thy servants , Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more .
24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father , we told him the words of my lord .
25 And our father said , Go again , and buy us a little food .
26 And we said , We cannot go down : if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down : for we may not see the man's face , except our youngest brother be with us.
27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:
28 And the one went out from me, and I said , Surely he is torn in pieces ; and I saw him not since :
29 And if ye take this also from me , and mischief befall him , ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave .
30 Now therefore 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 ;
31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die : and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave .
32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father , saying , If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever .
33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord ; and let the lad go up with his brethren .
34 For how shall I go up to my father , and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father .