Genesis 44
Tree of Life Version
Joseph Tests His Brothers
44 Then he commanded the one over his household saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they are able to carry and put money in the opening of each man’s sack. 2 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the opening of the sack of the youngest along with his grain money.” So he did as Joseph told him.
3 When the morning dawned, the men were sent off, they and their donkeys. 4 They left the city and did not get far, when Joseph said to the one over his household, “Get up, go after the men. When you catch up to them, say to them, “Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Isn’t this the one from which my lord drinks? He even uses it especially to discern by divination. What you’ve done is evil!” 6 So he caught up to them and spoke these words to them.
7 They said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing as this. 8 Look, the money we found in the opening of our bags, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. So how could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 Whoever among your servants is found with it, let him die! And we, we’ll also be my lord’s slaves.”
10 “Even now let it be according to your words,” he said. “The one with whom it is found shall be my slave. But the rest of you shall be innocent.”
11 Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground and each man opened his sack. 12 He searched them beginning with the eldest and finishing with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothing, and each one loaded up his donkey and they returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers entered Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell to the ground before him. 15 “What’s this deed you’ve done?” Joseph said to them, “Didn’t you know that a man like me can discern by divination?”
16 Then Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we as well as the one in whose hand the cup was found.”
17 But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The one in whose hand the cup was found—he will be my slave. But you, go up to your father in peace.”
Parashat Vayigash
Judah Pleads for Benjamin
18 Then Judah approached him and said, “I beg your pardon, my lord. Please let your servant say a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t be angry with your servant, since you are like Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants saying, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 So we said to my lord, ‘We have a father who is old, a child born to him of his old age is young. Now his brother is dead, so he is the only one of his mother’s children left, and his father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can look at him.’ 22 But we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave his father, he would die.’ 23 Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you won’t see my face again.’
24 “Now when we went up to your servant, my father, we told him my lord’s words. 25 Then our father said, ‘Go back, buy us a little grain for food.’ 26 So we said, ‘We won’t go down unless we have our youngest brother with us—then we’ll go down. For we won’t see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’
27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You yourselves know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One went out from me, so I said, “He must have been torn to shreds,” and I haven’t seen him since. 29 And if you also take this one away from before me and an accident happens to him, then you’ll bring my grey hair down to the evil of Sheol.’
30 “Now if I come to your servant my father and the boy isn’t with us, since his life is bound to his life, 31 when he sees that the boy is no more, he’ll die. Then your servants will bring the grey hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in grief. 32 For your servant became pledge for the boy with my father saying, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before my father all my days.’ 33 So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave in the boy’s place, and let the boy go up with his brothers. 34 For how can I go up to my father and the boy is not with me? Else I must see the evil that would come upon my father!”
創世記 44
Revised Chinese Union Version (Traditional Script) Shen Edition
約瑟用計留住便雅憫
44 約瑟吩咐管家說:「按照他們的驢子所能馱的,把這些人的袋子裝滿糧食,再把各人的銀子放在各人的袋口上, 2 我的杯,就是那個銀杯,要和買糧的銀子一同放在最年輕的那個人的袋口上。」管家就照約瑟所說的話去做了。 3 天一亮,這些人和他們的驢子就被送走了。 4 他們出城走了不遠,約瑟對管家說:「起來,去追那些人,追上了就對他們說:『你們為甚麼以惡報善呢? 5 這不是我主人用來飲酒,確實用它來占卜的嗎?你們這麼做是不對的!』」
6 管家追上他們,把這些話對他們說了。 7 他們對他說:「我主為甚麼說這樣的話呢?你僕人們絕不會做這樣的事。 8 看哪,我們從前在袋口上發現的銀子,尚且從迦南地帶來還你,我們又怎麼會從你主人家裏偷竊金銀呢? 9 你僕人中無論在誰那裏找到杯子,就叫他死,我們也要作我主的奴隸。」 10 管家說:「現在就照你們的話做吧!在誰那裏找到杯子,誰就作我的奴隸,其餘的人都沒有罪。」 11 於是他們各人急忙把袋子卸在地上,各人打開自己的袋子。 12 管家就搜查,從年長的開始到年幼的為止,那杯竟在便雅憫的袋子裏找到了。 13 他們就撕裂衣服,各人把馱子抬在驢上,回城去了。
14 猶大和他兄弟們來到約瑟的屋裏,約瑟還在那裏,他們就在他面前俯伏於地。 15 約瑟對他們說:「你們做的是甚麼事呢?你們豈不知像我這樣的人必懂得占卜嗎?」 16 猶大說:「我們對我主能說甚麼呢?還有甚麼話可說呢?我們還能為自己表白嗎? 神已經查出你僕人的罪孽了。看哪,我們與那在他手中找到杯子的人都是我主的奴隸。」 17 約瑟說:「我絕不能做這樣的事!誰的手中找到杯子,誰就作我的奴隸。至於你們,可以平平安安上到你們父親那裏去。」
猶大替便雅憫哀求
18 猶大挨近他,說:「我主啊,求求你,讓僕人說一句話給我主聽,不要向僕人發烈怒,因為你如同法老一樣。 19 我主曾問僕人們說:『你們有父親、兄弟沒有?』 20 我們對我主說:『我們有父親,他已經年老,還有他老年所生的一個小兒子。他哥哥死了,他的母親只剩下他一個孩子,父親也疼愛他。』 21 你對僕人說:『把他帶下到我這裏來,讓我親眼看看他。』 22 我們對我主說:『這年輕人不能離開他父親,若是離開,父親就會死。』 23 你對僕人說:『你們最小的弟弟若不和你們一同下來,你們就不要來見我的面。』 24 我們上到你僕人,我們父親那裏,就把我主的話告訴了他。 25 後來,我們的父親說:『你們再去給我買些糧來。』 26 我們說:『我們不能下去。最小的弟弟若和我們同去,我們就可以下去。因為,最小的弟弟若不和我們同去,我們必不能見那人的面。』 27 你僕人,我父親對我們說:『你們知道我的妻子給我生了兩個兒子。 28 一個離開我走了,我說他必是被野獸撕碎了,直到如今我再沒有見過他; 29 現在你們又要把這個從我面前帶走。倘若他遭難,那麼你們就害我白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘下陰間去了。』 30 如今我回到你僕人,我父親那裏,若沒有這年輕人和我們同去,我父親的命是與這年輕人的命相連的, 31 當我們的父親看見沒有了這年輕人,他就會死。這樣,我們就害你僕人,我們的父親白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘下陰間去了。 32 僕人曾向我父親為這年輕人擔保,說:『我若不帶他回來交給父親,我就在父親面前永遠擔當這罪。』 33 現在,求你把僕人留下,代替這年輕人作我主的奴隸,讓這年輕人和他哥哥們一同上去。 34 若這年輕人不和我一起,我怎能上到我父親那裏呢?恐怕我要看到災禍臨到我父親了。」
Genesis 44
King James Version
44 And 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 his sack's mouth.
2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.
17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.
19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:
28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.
Genesis 44
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)
Genesis 44
New King James Version
Joseph’s Cup
44 And he commanded [a]the (A)steward of his house, saying, (B)“Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 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 (C)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 (D)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, (E)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 [b]left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they (F)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 (G)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 (H)found out the iniquity of your servants; here (I)we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”
17 But he said, (J)“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.”
Judah Intercedes for Benjamin
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 (K)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 (L)a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is (M)dead, and he (N)alone is left of his mother’s children, and his (O)father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, (P)‘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, (Q)‘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. 25 And (R)our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 26 But 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 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that (S)my wife bore me two sons; 28 and the one went out from me, and I said, (T)“Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since. 29 But if you (U)take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’
30 “Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since (V)his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, (W)‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ 33 Now therefore, please (X)let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would [c]come upon my father?”
Footnotes
- Genesis 44:1 Lit. the one over
- Genesis 44:12 finished with
- Genesis 44:34 Lit. find
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
和合本修訂版經文 © 2006, 2010, 2017 香港聖經公會。蒙允許使用。 Scripture Text of Revised Chinese Union Version © 2006, 2010, 2017 Hong Kong Bible Society. www.hkbs.org.hk/en/ Used by permission.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

