4
When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, "Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?
5
Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.' "
6
So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.
7
And they said to him, "Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing.
8
Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?
9
With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."
10
And he said, "Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless."
11
Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack.
12
So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13
Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
14
So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground.
15
And Joseph said to them, "What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?"
16
Then Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord's slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found."
17
But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father."
18
Then Judah came near to him and said: "O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh.
19
My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?'
20
And we said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him.'
21
Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.'
22
And we said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'
23
But you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.'
24
So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord.