A Silver Cup in a Sack

44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house:^(A) “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.^{(B) 2} Then put my cup,^(C) the silver one,^(D) in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

³ As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.^{(E) 4} They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward,^(F) “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?^{(G) 5} Isn’t this the cup^(H) my master drinks from and also uses for divination?^(I) This is a wicked thing you have done.’”

⁶ When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. ⁷ But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants^(J) to do anything like that!^{(K) 8} We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan^(L) the silver^(M) we found inside the mouths of our sacks.^(N) So why would we steal^(O) silver or gold from your master’s house? ⁹ If any of your servants^(P) is found to have it, he will die;^(Q) and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.^(R)”

¹⁰ “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it^(S) will become my slave;^(T) the rest of you will be free from blame.”^(U)

¹¹ Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. ¹² Then the steward^(V) proceeded to search,^(W) beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest.^(X) And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.^{(Y) 13} At this, they tore their clothes.^(Z) Then they all loaded their donkeys^(AA) and returned to the city.

¹⁴ Joseph was still in the house^(AB) when Judah^(AC) and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.^{(AD) 15} Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done?^(AE) Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?^(AF)”

¹⁶ “What can we say to my lord?^(AG)” Judah^(AH) replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence?^(AI) God has uncovered your servants’^(AJ) guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves^(AK)—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.^(AL)”

¹⁷ But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing!^(AM) Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave.^(AN) The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”^(AO)

³³ “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave^(A) in place of the boy,^(B) and let the boy return with his brothers. ³⁴ How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery^(C) that would come on my father.”^(D)