Genesis 44

All 34 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1Joseph gave orders to his household steward, saying, "Pack the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and place each man's money back at the top of his sack."
2. 2"Then place my cup, the silver cup, at the top of the youngest one's sack, along with his grain money." The steward did exactly as Joseph instructed.
3. 3At first light the next morning, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4. 4They had barely left the city and were not far away when Joseph told his steward, "Get up and chase after those men. When you catch up to them, ask them, 'Why have you repaid kindness with evil?'"
5. 5'Isn't this the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? You have done evil in doing this.'
6. 6The steward caught up with them and repeated these exact words to them.
7. 7They replied, "Why would my lord say such things? May God forbid that your servants would ever do something like that!"
8. 8"Look, we even brought back the money we discovered at the tops of our sacks all the way from the land of Canaan. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house?"
9. 9"If it is found with any of your servants, let that person die, and the rest of us will become my lord's slaves."
10. 10He answered, "Very well, let it be as you say — but only the one who has it will become my slave. The rest of you will be free of blame."
11. 11Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
12. 12The steward searched them, starting with the oldest and finishing with the youngest, and the cup was discovered in Benjamin's sack.
13. 13They tore their clothes in grief, loaded their donkeys again, and went back to the city.
14. 14Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph's house while he was still there, and they threw themselves face down on the ground before him.
15. 15Joseph asked them, "What is this you have done? Don't you know that a man like me can certainly divine?"
16. 16Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Look, we are my lord's servants, both we and he with whom the cup was found."
17. 17But Joseph said, "May God forbid that I would do such a thing! Only the man in whose possession the cup was found will be my slave. The rest of you may go back to your father in peace."
18. 18Then Judah stepped closer to him and said, "Please, my lord, allow your servant to speak privately to you, and do not let your anger burn against your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself."
19. 19"My lord asked his servants, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'"
20. 20"We answered my lord, 'We have an elderly father and a young brother born to him in his old age. That boy's brother is dead, and he is the only surviving son of his mother. His father loves him deeply.'"
21. 21"Then you told your servants, 'Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.'"
22. 22"We said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father, because if he did, his father would die.'"
23. 23"But you told your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you will never be allowed to see me again.'"
24. 24"When we returned to your servant our father, we repeated to him everything my lord had said."
25. 25"Later our father said, 'Go back and purchase a small amount of food for us.'"
26. 26"We told him, 'We cannot go. We will only go if our youngest brother comes with us, because we are not permitted to see the man unless our youngest brother is present.'"
27. 27"Your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons.'"
28. 28'One of them left me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since.'
29. 29"'If you take this one from me too, and something terrible happens to him, you will send my gray head down to the grave in misery.'"
30. 30"So now, if I return to your servant my father without the boy — since his very life is tied to the boy's life —"
31. 31"when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Your servants will have sent the gray head of your servant our father down to the grave in sorrow."
32. 32Your servant personally guaranteed the boy's safety to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before my father forever.'
33. 33"So please, let your servant remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return home with his brothers."
34. 34"How could I possibly go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to witness the devastation that would come upon my father."