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Genesis 44-45
Modern English Version
Genesis 44-45
Modern English Version
Joseph Detains Benjamin
44 Then 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 the mouth of his sack. 2 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, along with his grain money.” And he did according to what Joseph had spoken.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4 When they were gone out of the city, but not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good? 5 Is this not the one from which my lord drinks and uses as he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’ ”
6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. 7 They said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing. 8 Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money that we found in the top of our sacks. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”
10 He said, “Now let it also be according to your words. He with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you will be blameless.”
11 Then every man hurriedly took down his sack to the ground, and every man opened his sack. 12 He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there; and they fell to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?”
16 And 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 servants, both we and he also in whose possession the cup was found.”
17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose possession the cup was found shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
Judah’s Plea for Benjamin
18 Then Judah approached him and said, “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to 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 young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.’
21 “You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, so that I may set my eyes on him.’ 22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 24 When we went back to your servant, my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 “Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’ 26 We said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down, for we may not see the man’s face, unless our youngest brother is with us.’
27 “Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 And the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he was torn in pieces,” and I have not seen him since. 29 And if you take this one also from me and he is harmed, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.’
30 “Now therefore when I come to your servant, my father, and the boy is not with us, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, 31 when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to the grave. 32 For your servant became surety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I fail to bring him to you, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever.’
33 “Now therefore, please let your servant stay as a slave to my lord instead of the boy, and let the boy go up with his brothers. 34 For how can I go up to my father if the boy is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would find my father?”
Joseph Reveals His Identity
45 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make every man go out from me.” So no man stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept so loudly that the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard about it.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me,” and they came near. Then he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now do not be upset or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me ahead of you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 “So now it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of his entire household and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up 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; do not delay. 10 And you will dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, along with your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 I will provide for you there, for there are still five years of famine to come, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty.” ’
12 “Your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that is speaking to you. 13 You must tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen, and you must hurry and bring my father down here.”
14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.
16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this. Load your animals and go to the land of Canaan. 18 Get your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’
19 “You are also commanded to say, ‘Do this: Take your wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and get your father and come. 20 Also do not concern yourself with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”
21 So the sons of Israel did so, and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22 To each of them he gave a change of clothes, but he gave to Benjamin three hundred shekels of silver[a] and five changes of clothes. 23 To his father he sent the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father on the journey. 24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.”
25 They went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still because he could not believe them. 27 They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 Then Israel said, “Enough! Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 45:22 About 7½ pounds, or 3.5 kilograms.
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
Modern English Version (MEV)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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