Genesis 44
Names of God Bible
Joseph’s Plan to Trap His Brothers
44 Joseph commanded the man in charge of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry. Put each man’s money in his sack. 2 Then put my silver cup in the youngest brother’s sack along with the money for his grain.” He did what Joseph told him.
3 At dawn the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to the man in charge of his house, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you paid me back with evil when I was good to you? 5 Isn’t this the cup that my master drinks from and that he uses for telling the future? What you have done is evil!’”
6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 They answered him, “Sir, how can you say such things? We would never think of doing anything like that! 8 We brought the money we found in our sacks back from Canaan. So why would we steal any silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If one of us has it, he will die, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”
10 “I agree,” he said. “We’ll do what you’ve said. The man who has the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you can go free.”
11 Each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the man made a thorough search. He began with the oldest and ended with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 When they saw this, they tore their clothes in grief. Then each one loaded his donkey and went back into the city.
14 Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house while Joseph was still there. Immediately, they bowed with their faces touching the ground. 15 Joseph asked them, “What have you done? Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out because he knows the future?”
16 “Sir, what can we say to you?” Judah asked. “How else can we explain it? How can we prove we’re innocent? Elohim has uncovered our guilt. Now all of us are your slaves, including the one who had the cup.”
17 But Joseph said, “I would never think of doing that! Only the man who had the cup will be my slave. The rest of you can go back to your father in peace.”
Judah Defends Benjamin
18 Then Judah went up to Joseph and said, “Please, sir, let me speak openly with you. Don’t be angry with me, although you are equal to Pharaoh. 19 Sir, you asked us, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 We answered, ‘We have a father who is old and a younger brother born to him when he was already old. The boy’s brother is dead, so he’s the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
21 “Then you said to us, ‘Bring him here to me so that I can see him myself.’ 22 We replied, ‘The boy can’t leave his father. If the boy leaves him, his father will die.’ 23 Then you told us, ‘If your youngest brother doesn’t come here with you, you will never be allowed to see me again.’ 24 When we went back to our father, we told him what you had said.
25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little more food.’ 26 We answered, ‘We can’t go back. We can only go back if our youngest brother is with us. The man won’t see us unless our youngest brother is with us.’
27 “Then our father said to us, ‘You know that my wife Rachel gave me two sons. 28 One is gone, and I said, “He must have been torn to pieces!” I haven’t seen him since. 29 If you take this one away from me too and anything happens to him, you’ll drive this gray-haired old man to his grave.’
30 “Our father’s life is wrapped up with the boy’s life. If I come home without the boy 31 and he sees that the boy isn’t with me, he’ll die. The grief would drive our gray-haired old father to his grave.
32 “I guaranteed my father that the boy would come back. I said, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, then you can blame me the rest of my life, Father.’ 33 Sir, please let me stay and be your slave in the boy’s place, and let the boy go back with his brothers. 34 How could I go back to my father if the boy isn’t with me? I couldn’t bear to see my father’s misery!”
Génesis 44
Reina-Valera Antigua
44 Y MANDO José al mayordomo de su casa, diciendo: Hinche los costales de aquestos varones de alimentos, cuanto pudieren llevar, y pon el dinero de cada uno en la boca de su costal:
2 Y pondrás mi copa, la copa de plata, en la boca del costal del menor, con el dinero de su trigo. Y él hizo como dijo José.
3 Venida la mañana, los hombres fueron despedidos con sus asnos.
4 Habiendo ellos salido de la ciudad, de la que aun no se habían alejado, dijo José á su mayordomo: Levántate, y sigue á esos hombres; y cuando los alcanzares, diles: ¿Por qué habéis vuelto mal por bien?
5 ¿No es ésta en la que bebe mi señor, y por la que suele adivinar? habéis hecho mal en lo que hicisteis.
6 Y como él los alcanzó, díjoles estas palabras.
7 Y ellos le respondieron: ¿Por qué dice mi señor tales cosas? Nunca tal hagan tus siervos.
8 He aquí, el dinero que hallamos en la boca de nuestros costales, te lo volvimos á traer desde la tierra de Canaán; ¿cómo, pues, habíamos de hurtar de casa de tu señor plata ni oro?
9 Aquel de tus siervos en quien fuere hallada la copa, que muera, y aun nosotros seremos siervos de mi señor.
10 Y él dijo: También ahora sea conforme á vuestras palabras; aquél en quien se hallare, será mi siervo, y vosotros seréis sin culpa.
11 Ellos entonces se dieron prisa, y derribando cada uno su costal en tierra, abrió cada cual el costal suyo.
12 Y buscó; desde el mayor comenzó, y acabó en el menor; y la copa fué hallada en el costal de Benjamín.
13 Entonces ellos rasgaron sus vestidos, y cargó cada uno su asno, y volvieron á la ciudad.
14 Y llegó Judá con sus hermanos á casa de José, que aun estaba allí, y postráronse delante de él en tierra.
15 Y díjoles José: ¿Qué obra es esta que habéis hecho? ¿no sabéis que un hombre como yo sabe adivinar?
16 Entonces dijo Judá: ¿Qué diremos á mi señor? ¿qué hablaremos? ¿ó con qué nos justificaremos? Dios ha hallado la maldad de tus siervos: he aquí, nosotros somos siervos de mi señor, nosotros, y también aquél en cuyo poder fué hallada la copa.
17 Y él respondió: Nunca yo tal haga: el varón en cuyo poder fué hallada la copa, él será mi siervo; vosotros id en paz á vuestro padre.
18 Entonces Judá se llegó á él, y dijo: Ay señor mío, ruégote que hable tu siervo una palabra en oídos de mi señor, y no se encienda tu enojo contra tu siervo, pues que tú eres como Faraón.
19 Mi señor preguntó á sus siervos, diciendo: ¿Tenéis padre ó hermano?
20 Y nosotros respondimos á mi señor: Tenemos un padre anciano, y un mozo que le nació en su vejez, pequeño aún; y un hermano suyo murió, y él quedó solo de su madre, y su padre lo ama.
21 Y tú dijiste á tus siervos: Traédmelo, y pondré mis ojos sobre él.
22 Y nosotros dijimos á mi señor: El mozo no puede dejar á su padre, porque si le dejare, su padre morirá.
23 Y dijiste á tus siervos: Si vuestro hermano menor no descendiere con vosotros, no veáis más mi rostro.
24 Aconteció pues, que como llegamos á mi padre tu siervo, contámosle las palabras de mi señor.
25 Y dijo nuestro padre: Volved á comprarnos un poco de alimento.
26 Y nosotros respondimos: No podemos ir: si nuestro hermano fuere con nosotros, iremos; porque no podemos ver el rostro del varón, no estando con nosotros nuestro hermano el menor.
27 Entonces tu siervo mi padre nos dijo: Vosotros sabéis que dos me parió mi mujer;
28 Y el uno salió de conmigo, y pienso de cierto que fué despedazado, y hasta ahora no le he visto;
29 Y si tomareis también éste de delante de mí, y le aconteciere algún desastre, haréis descender mis canas con dolor á la sepultura.
30 Ahora, pues, cuando llegare yo á tu siervo mi padre, y el mozo no fuere conmigo, como su alma está ligada al alma de él,
31 Sucederá que cuando no vea al mozo, morirá: y tus siervos harán descender las canas de tu siervo nuestro padre con dolor á la sepultura.
32 Como tu siervo salió por fiador del mozo con mi padre, diciendo: Si no te lo volviere, entonces yo seré culpable para mi padre todos los días;
33 Ruégote por tanto que quede ahora tu siervo por el mozo por siervo de mi señor, y que el mozo vaya con sus hermanos.
34 Porque ¿cómo iré yo á mi padre sin el mozo? No podré, por no ver el mal que sobrevendrá á mi padre.
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
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)
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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