- 1
- Afterward he commanded his steward, saying, Fill the mens sackes with foode, as much as they can carry, and put euery mans money in his sackes mouth.
- 2
- And put my cup, I meane the siluer cup, in the sackes mouth of the yongest, and his corne money;
he did according to the commandement that Ioseph gaue him.
- 3
- And in the morning the men were sent away, they, and their asses.
- 4
- And when they went out of the citie not farre off, Ioseph sayd to his stewarde, Vp, followe after the men: and when thou doest ouertake them, say vnto them, Wherefore haue ye rewarded euill for good?
- 5
- Is that not the cuppe, wherein my Lorde drinketh?
and in the which he doeth deuine and prophecie? ye haue done euill in so doing.
- 6
- And when he ouertooke them, he sayde those wordes vnto them.
- 7
- And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes?
God forbid that thy seruants should do such a thing.
- 8
- Behold, the money which we found in our sackes mouthes, wee brought againe to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steale out of thy lordes house siluer or golde?
- 9
- With whomesoeuer of thy seruants it bee found, let him dye, and we also will be my lordes bondmen.
- 10
- And he said, Now then let it be according vnto your wordes: he with whome it is found, shal be my seruant, and ye shalbe blamelesse.
- 11
- Then at once euery man tooke downe his sacke to the grounde, and euery one opened his sacke.
- 12
- And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the yongest: and the cuppe was found in Beniamins sacke.
- 13
- Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, & went againe into the citie.
- 14
- So Iudah and his brethren came to Iosephs house (for he was yet there) and they fel before him on the ground.
- 15
- Then Ioseph sayd vnto them, What acte is this, which ye haue done?
know ye not that such a man as I, can deuine and prophecie?
- 16
- Then sayd Iudah, What shall we say vnto my lord?
what shall we speake? and howe can we iustifie our selues? God hath found out the wickednesse of thy seruants: beholde, we are seruants to my Lorde, both wee, and he, with whome the cuppe is founde.
- 17
- But he answered, God forbid, that I should doe so, but the man, with whome the cuppe is founde, he shalbe my seruant, and go ye in peace vnto your father.
- 18
- Then Iudah drewe neere vnto him, and sayde, O my Lord, let thy seruant nowe speake a worde in my lordes eares, and let not thy wrath be kindled against thy seruant: for thou art euen as Pharaoh.
- 19
- My Lord asked his seruants, saying, Haue ye a father, or a brother?
- 20
- And we answered my Lorde, We haue a father that is olde, and a young childe, which he begate in his age: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loueth him.
- 21
- Now thou saidest vnto thy seruants, Bring him vnto me, that I may set mine eye vpo him.
- 22
- And we answered my lord, The childe can not depart from his father: for if he leaue his father, his father would die.
- 23
- Then saydest thou vnto thy seruants, Except your yonger brother come downe with you, looke in my face no more.
- 24
- So when we came vnto thy seruant our father, and shewed him what my lord had sayd,
- 25
- And our father sayde vnto vs, Goe againe, bye vs a litle foode,
- 26
- Then we answered, We can not go downe: but if our yongest brother go with vs, then will we go downe: for we may not see the mans face, except our yongest brother be with vs.
- 27
- Then thy seruant my father sayde vnto vs, Ye knowe that my wife bare me two sonnes,
- 28
- And the one went out from me, and I said, Of a suretie he is torne in pieces, and I sawe him not since.
- 29
- Nowe yee take this also away from me: if death take him, then yee shall bring my graye head in sorowe to the graue.
- 30
- Nowe therefore, when I come to thy seruant my father, & the childe be not with vs (seeing that his life dependeth on the childes life)
- 31
- Then when hee shall see that the childe is not come, he will die: so shall thy seruants bring the graye head of thy seruant our father with sorowe to the graue.
- 32
- Doubtlesse thy seruant became suertie for the childe to my father, and said, If I bring him not vnto thee againe, then I will beare the blame vnto my father for euer.
- 33
- Nowe therefore, I pray thee, let me thy seruant bide for the childe, as a seruant to my Lord, and let the childe go vp with his brethren.
- 34
- For howe can I go vp to my father, if the childe be not with me, vnlesse I woulde see the euil that shall come on my father?
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