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Genesis 44-45
Contemporary English Version
Genesis 44-45
Contemporary English Version
The Missing Cup
44 1-2 Later, Joseph told the servant in charge of his house, “Fill the men's grain sacks with as much as they can hold and put their money in the sacks. Also put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest brother.” The servant did as he was told.
3 Early the next morning, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 But they had not gone far from the city when Joseph told the servant, “Go after those men! When you catch them, say, ‘My master has been good to you. So why have you stolen his silver cup? 5 Not only does he drink from his cup, but he also uses it to learn about the future. You have done a terrible thing.’ ”
6 When the servant caught up with them, he said exactly what Joseph had told him to say. 7 But they replied, “Sir, why do you say such things? We would never do anything like that! 8 We even returned the money we found in our grain sacks when we got back to Canaan. So why would we want to steal any silver or gold from your master's house? 9 If you find that one of us has the cup, then kill him, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”
10 “Good!” the man replied, “I'll do what you have said. But only the one who has the cup will become my slave. The rest of you can go free.”
11 Each of the brothers quickly put his sack on the ground and opened it. 12 Joseph's servant started searching the sacks, beginning with the one that belonged to the oldest brother. When he came to Benjamin's sack, he found the cup. 13 This upset the brothers so much that they began tearing their clothes in sorrow. Then they loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers got there, Joseph was still at home. So they bowed down to Joseph, 15 who asked them, “What have you done? Didn't you know I could find out?”
16 “Sir, what can we say?” Judah replied. “How can we say we are innocent, when God has shown we are guilty? And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup.”
17 Joseph told them, “I would never punish all of you. Only the one who was caught with the cup will become my slave. The rest of you are free to go home to your father.”
Judah Pleads for Benjamin
18 Judah went over to Joseph and said:
Sir, you have as much power as the king[a] himself, and I am only your slave. Please don't get angry if I speak. 19 You asked us if our father was still alive and if we had any more brothers. 20 So we told you, “Our father is a very old man. In fact, he was already old when Benjamin was born. Benjamin's brother is dead. Now Benjamin is the only one of the two brothers who is still alive, and our father loves him very much.”
21 You ordered us to bring him here, so you could see him for yourself. 22 We told you that our father would die if Benjamin left him. 23 But you warned us that we could never see you again, unless our youngest brother came with us. 24 So we returned to our father and reported what you had said.
25 Later our father sent us back here to buy more grain. 26 But we told him, “We can't go back to Egypt without our youngest brother. We will never be let in to see the governor, unless he is with us.”
27 Sir, our father then reminded us that his favorite wife had given birth to two sons. 28 One of them was already missing and had not been seen for a long time. My father thinks the boy was torn to pieces by some wild animal, 29 and he said, “I am an old man. If you take Benjamin from me, and something happens to him, I will die of a broken heart.”
30 That's why Benjamin must be with us when I go back to my father. He loves him so much 31 that he will die if Benjamin doesn't come back with me. 32 I promised my father that I would bring him safely home. If I don't, I told my father he could blame me the rest of my life.
33 Sir, I am your slave. Please let me stay here in place of Benjamin and let him return home with his brothers. 34 How can I face my father if Benjamin isn't with me? I couldn't bear to see my father in such sorrow.
Joseph Tells His Brothers Who He Is
45 (A) Since Joseph could no longer control his feelings in front of his servants, he sent them out of the room. When he was alone with his brothers, he told them, “I am Joseph.” 2 Then he cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him and told about it in the king's[b] palace.
3 Joseph asked his brothers if his father was still alive, but they were too frightened to answer. 4 Joseph told them to come closer to him, and when they did, he said:
Yes, I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt. 5 Don't worry or blame yourselves for what you did. God is the one who sent me ahead of you to save lives.
6 There has already been a famine for two years, and for five more years no one will plow fields or harvest grain. 7 But God sent me on ahead of you to keep your families alive and to save you in this wonderful way. 8 After all, you weren't really the ones who sent me here—it was God. He made me the highest official in the king's court and placed me over all Egypt.
9 (B) Now hurry back and tell my father that his son Joseph says, “God has made me ruler of Egypt. Come here as quickly as you can. 10 You will live near me in the region of Goshen with your children and grandchildren, as well as with your sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else you own. 11 I will take care of you there during the next five years of famine. But if you don't come, you and your family and your animals will starve to death.”
12 All of you, including my brother Benjamin, can tell by what I have said that I really am Joseph. 13 Tell my father about my great power here in Egypt and about everything you have seen. Hurry and bring him here.
14 Joseph and Benjamin hugged each other and started crying. 15 Joseph was still crying as he kissed each of his other brothers. After this, they started talking with Joseph.
16 When it was told in the palace that Joseph's brothers had come, the king and his officials were happy. 17 So the king said to Joseph:
Tell your brothers to load their donkeys and return to Canaan. 18 Tell them to bring their father and their families here. I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they can eat and enjoy everything that grows there. 19 Also tell your brothers to take some wagons from Egypt for their wives and children to ride in. And be sure they bring their father. 20 They can leave their possessions behind, because they will be given the best of everything in Egypt.
21 Jacob's sons agreed to do what the king had said. And Joseph gave them wagons and food for their trip home, just as the king had ordered. 22 Joseph gave some new clothes to each of his brothers, but to Benjamin he gave five new outfits and 300 pieces of silver. 23 To his father he sent ten donkeys loaded with the best things in Egypt, and ten other donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other food for the return trip. 24 Then he sent his brothers off and told them, “Don't argue on the way home!”
25 Joseph's brothers left Egypt, and when they arrived in Canaan, 26 they told their father that Joseph was still alive and was the ruler of Egypt. But their father was so surprised that he could not believe them. 27 Then they told him everything Joseph had said. When he saw the wagons Joseph had sent, he felt much better 28 and said, “Now I can believe you! My son Joseph must really be alive, and I will get to see him before I die.”
Genesis 44-45
New International Version
Genesis 44-45
New International Version
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)
18 Then Judah(AP) went up to him and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,(AQ) let me speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry(AR) with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants,(AS) ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’(AT) 20 And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age.(AU) His brother is dead,(AV) and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’(AW)
21 “Then you said to your servants,(AX) ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’(AY) 22 And we said to my lord,(AZ) ‘The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.’(BA) 23 But you told your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’(BB) 24 When we went back to your servant my father,(BC) we told him what my lord(BD) had said.(BE)
25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy a little more food.’(BF) 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.’(BG)
27 “Your servant my father(BH) said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.(BI) 28 One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.”(BJ) And I have not seen him since.(BK) 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave(BL) in misery.’(BM)
30 “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father,(BN) and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life,(BO) 31 sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die.(BP) Your servants(BQ) will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave(BR) 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!’(BS)
33 “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave(BT) in place of the boy,(BU) 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(BV) that would come on my father.”(BW)
Joseph Makes Himself Known
45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself(BX) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”(BY) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept(BZ) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.(CA)
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”(CB) But his brothers were not able to answer him,(CC) because they were terrified at his presence.(CD)
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”(CE) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!(CF) 5 And now, do not be distressed(CG) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,(CH) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.(CI) 6 For two years now there has been famine(CJ) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant(CK) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a](CL)
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.(CM) He made me father(CN) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.(CO) 9 Now hurry(CP) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.(CQ) 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen(CR) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.(CS) 11 I will provide for you there,(CT) because five years of famine(CU) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’(CV)
12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,(CW) that it is really I who am speaking to you.(CX) 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt(CY) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.(CZ)”
14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin(DA) embraced him,(DB) weeping. 15 And he kissed(DC) all his brothers and wept over them.(DD) Afterward his brothers talked with him.(DE)
16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come,(DF) Pharaoh and all his officials(DG) were pleased.(DH) 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals(DI) and return to the land of Canaan,(DJ) 18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt(DK) and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’(DL)
19 “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts(DM) from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. 20 Never mind about your belongings,(DN) because the best of all Egypt(DO) will be yours.’”
21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts,(DP) as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.(DQ) 22 To each of them he gave new clothing,(DR) but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels[b] of silver and five sets of clothes.(DS) 23 And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys(DT) loaded with the best things(DU) of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.(DV) 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”(DW)
25 So they went up out of Egypt(DX) and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.(DY) 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”(DZ) Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.(EA) 27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts(EB) Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “I’m convinced!(EC) My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”(ED)
Footnotes
- Genesis 45:7 Or save you as a great band of survivors
- Genesis 45:22 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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