Genesis 44:10-20

10 Which said to them, Be it done by your sentence; at whom it is found, be he my servant; forsooth ye shall be guiltless. (And the steward said to them, So be it done by your own sentence; with whomever it is found, he shall be my slave; but the rest of you shall go free.)
11 And so they did down hastily their sacks on the earth, and all they opened them, (And so they hastily did down their sacks onto the ground, and they all opened them,)
12 the which he sought (through); and he began at the most till to the least, and he found the cup in Benjamin's sack. (and then the steward searched through all the sacks; and he began at the eldest, and worked down to the youngest, and he found the cup in Benjamin's sack.)
13 And when they had rent their clothes, and had charged again their asses, they turned again into the city. (And when they had torn their clothes, and had loaded up their donkeys again, they returned to the city.)
14 And Judah entered with his brethren to Joseph; for Joseph had not gone yet from the place; and all they fell together on the earth before him. (And Judah came in with his brothers to Joseph; for Joseph was still in his house; and they all fell down together on the ground before him.)
15 To whom he said, Why would ye do so? whether ye wot not, that none is like me in the knowing of divining? (To whom Joseph said, Why have ye done this? do ye not know that there is no one like me with such a knowledge of divination? Of course I would find you out!)
16 To whom Judah said, What shall we answer to my lord, or what shall we speak, either what may we justly against-say? God hath found the wickedness of thy servants; lo! all we be the servants of my lord, both we and he at whom the cup is found. (To whom Judah said, What shall we answer to my lord, or what shall we speak, or what can we justly say against thy words? God hath found out the wickedness of thy servants; lo! we shall all be my lord's slaves, both we and he with whom the cup was found.)
17 Joseph answered, Far be it from me, that I do so; he be my servant that stole the cup; forsooth go ye free to your father. (Joseph answered, Far be it from me, that I would do such a thing; nay, only he who stole the cup shall be my slave; the rest of you be free to go back to your father.)
18 Soothly Judah nighed near, and said trustily (and plaintively said), My lord, I pray thee, (let) thy servant speak a word in thine ears, and be thou not wroth to thy servant; for after Pharaoh thou art my lord.
19 Thou askedest first thy servants (Thou first askedest thy servants), Have ye a father, or a brother?
20 And we answered to my lord, An eld father is to us, and a little child that was born in his eld (age), whose brother of the same womb is dead, and his mother hath him alone; forsooth his father loveth him tenderly. (And we answered to my lord, We have an old father, and he hath a young son who was born in his old age, whose brother from the same womb is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children; and his father tenderly loveth him.)

Genesis 44:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 44

This chapter relates the policy of Joseph in making an experiment of his brethren's regard and affection for Benjamin; he ordered his steward to put every man's money into his sack, and his silver cup in Benjamin's, and when they were got out of the city, to follow after them, and charge them with the theft, as he did; and having searched their sacks, as they desired he would, found the cup with Benjamin, which threw them into the utmost distress, and obliged them to return to Joseph, Ge 44:1-14; who charged them with their ill behaviour towards him; they acknowledge it, and propose to be his servants; but he orders them to depart to their father, retaining Benjamin in servitude, Ge 44:15-17; upon which Judah addressed him in a very polite and affectionate manner, and relates the whole story, both of what passed between Joseph and them, concerning Benjamin, the first time they were in Egypt, and between their father and them upon the same subject, when he directed them to go a second time thither to buy corn, and how he became a surety to his father for him, and therefore proposed to be his bondman now, not being able to see his father's face without Benjamin, Ge 44:18-34.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.