Genesis 44:1-17

The Missing Cup

44¹ And he commandeth him who 'is' over his house, saying, 'Fill the bags of the men 'with' food, as they are able to bear, and put the money of each in the mouth of his bag; ² and my cup, the silver cup, thou dost put in the mouth of the bag of the young one, and his corn-money;' and he doth according to the word of Joseph which he hath spoken. ³ The morning is bright, and the men have been sent away, they and their asses— ⁴ they have gone out of the city—they have not gone far off—and Joseph hath said to him who 'is' over his house, 'Rise, pursue after the men; and thou hast overtaken them, and thou hast said unto them, Why have ye recompensed evil for good? ⁵ Is not this that with which my lord drinketh? and he observeth diligently with it; ye have done evil 'in' that which ye have done.' ⁶ And he overtaketh them, and speaketh unto them these words, ⁷ and they say unto him, 'Why doth my lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word; ⁸ lo, the money which we found in the mouth of our bags we brought back unto thee from the land of Canaan, and how do we steal from the house of thy lord silver or gold? ⁹ with whomsoever of thy servants it is found, he hath died, and we also are to my lord for servants.' ¹⁰ And he saith, 'Now, also, according to your words, so it 'is'; he with whom it is found becometh my servant, and ye are acquitted;' ¹¹ and they hasten and take down each his bag to the earth, and each openeth his bag; ¹² and he searcheth—at the eldest he hath begun, and at the youngest he hath completed—and the cup is found in the bag of Benjamin; ¹³ and they rend their garments, and each ladeth his ass, and they turn back to the city. ¹⁴ And Judah—his brethren also—cometh in unto the house of Joseph, and he is yet there, and they fall before him to the earth; ¹⁵ and Joseph saith to them, 'What 'is' this deed that ye have done? have ye not known that a man like me doth diligently observe?' ¹⁶ And Judah saith, 'What do we say to my lord? what do we speak? and what—do we justify ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; lo, we 'are' servants to my lord, both we, and he in whose hand the cup hath been found;' ¹⁷ and he saith, 'Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup hath been found, he becometh my servant; and ye, go ye up in peace unto your father.'