¹² Then the steward^(A) proceeded to search,^(B) beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest.^(C) And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.^(D)

²⁶ But we said, ‘We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’^(A)

²⁷ “Your servant my father^(B) said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.^{(C) 28} One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.”^(D) And I have not seen him since.^{(E) 29} If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave^(F) in misery.’^(G)

³⁰ “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father,^(H) and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life,^{(I) 31} sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die.^(J) Your servants^(K) will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave^(L) in sorrow. ³² Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’^(M)

² Then put my cup,^(A) the silver one,^(B) in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

³³ The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn^(A) to the youngest;^(B) and they looked at each other in astonishment.

¹⁴ And may God Almighty^[a](A) grant you mercy^(B) before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you.^(C) As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”^(D)

³⁶ Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more,^(A) and now you want to take Benjamin.^(B) Everything is against me!^(C)”

³⁷ Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care,^(D) and I will bring him back.”^(E)

³⁸ But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead^(F) and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him^(G) on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave^(H) in sorrow.^(I)”