Genesis Chapter 44
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: For,
2
said he, God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.
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And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.
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And the seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt, came to an end.
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And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said: and there was famine in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
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And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
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And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the store-houses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine was sore in the land of Egypt.
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And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was sore in all the earth.
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Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
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And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
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And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy grain from Egypt.
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But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure harm befall him.
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And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
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And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.
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And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly with them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
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And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
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And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
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And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
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We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
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And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
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And they said, We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
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And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
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hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
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Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
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And he put them all together into ward three days.
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And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
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if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in your prison-house; but go ye, carry grain for the famine of your houses:
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and bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
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And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
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And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is required.
31
And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.
32
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spake to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
33
Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus was it done unto them.
34
And they laded their asses with their grain, and departed thence.
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And he commanded him who was over his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry; and put every man's money in the mouth of his sack.
2
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain-money. And he did according to the word of Joseph which he had spoken.
3
In the morning, when it was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
4
They were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off, when Joseph said to him who was over his house, Up! follow after the men; and when thou overtakest them, thou shalt say to them, Why have ye rewarded evil for good?
5
Is not this [it] in which my lord drinks, and in which indeed he divines? Ye have done evil [in] what ye have done.
6
And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these words.
7
And they said to him, Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from thy servants to do such a thing!
8
Behold, the money that we found in our sacks' mouths we have brought again to thee from the land of Canaan; and how should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
9
With whomsoever of thy servants it is found, let him die; and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
10
And he said, Now also [let] it [be] according to your words: let him with whom it is found be my bondman, but ye shall be blameless.
11
And they hasted and laid down every man his sack on the ground, and opened every man his sack.
12
And he searched carefully: he began at the eldest, and ended at the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13
Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and they returned to the city.
14
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; and he was still there; and they fell down before him to the ground.
15
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this which ye have done? Did ye not know that such a man as I can certainly divine?
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And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak, and how justify ourselves?God has found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he in whose hand the cup has been found.
17
And he said, Far be it from me to do so! The man in whose hand the cup has been found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.
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Then Judah came near to him, and said, Ah! my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh.
19
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
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And we said to my lord, We have an aged father, and a child born to him in his old age, [yet] young; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.
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And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set mine eye on him.
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And we said to my lord, The youth cannot leave his father: if he should leave his father, [his father] would die.
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And thou saidst to thy servants, Unless your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
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And it came to pass when we came up to thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
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And our father said, Go again, buy us a little food.
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But we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down; for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.
27
And thy servant my father said to us, Ye know that my wife bore me two [sons];
28
and the one went out from me, and I said, He must certainly have been torn in pieces; and I have not seen him [again] hitherto.
29
And if ye take this one also from me, and mischief should befall him, ye will bring down my grey hairs with misery to Sheol.
30
And now, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us, — seeing that his life is bound up with his life,
31
it will come to pass when he sees that the lad is not [there], that he will die; and thy servants will bring down the grey hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.
32
For thy servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, then I shall be guilty toward my father all my days.
33
And now, let thy servant stay, I pray thee, instead of the lad a bondman to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren;
34
for how should I go up to my father if the lad were not with me? — lest I see the evil that would come on my father.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
And Joseph charged the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put the money of each in the mouth of his sack.
2
And put my silver cup into the sack of the youngest, and the price of his corn. And it was done according to the word of Joseph, as he said.
3
The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their asses.
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And when they had gone out of the city, [and] were not far off, then Joseph said to his steward, Arise, and pursue after the men; and thou shalt overtake them, and say to them, Why have ye returned evil for good?
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Why have ye stolen my silver cup? is it not this out of which my lord drinks? and he divines augury with it; ye have accomplished evil in that which ye have done.
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And he found them, and spoke to them according to these words.
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And they said to him, Why does our lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word.
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If we brought back to thee out of the land of Chanaan the money which we found in our sacks, how should we steal silver or gold out of the house of thy lord?
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With whomsoever of thy servants thou shalt find the cup, let him die; and, moreover, we will be servants to our lord.
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And he said, Now then it shall be as ye say; with whomsoever the cup shall be found, he shall be my servant, and ye shall be clear.
11
And they hasted, and took down every man his sack on the ground, and they opened every man his sack.
12
And he searched, beginning from the eldest, until he came to the youngest; and he found the cup in Benjamin's sack.
13
And they rent their garments, and laid each man his sack on his ass, and returned to the city.
14
And Judas and his brethren came in to Joseph, while he was yet there, and fell on the ground before him.
15
And Joseph said to them, What is this thing that ye have done? know ye not that a man such as I can surely divine?
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And Judas said, What shall we answer to our lord, or what shall we say, or wherein should we be justified? whereas God has discovered the unrighteousness of thy servants; behold, we are slaves to our lord, both we and he with whom the cup has been found.
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And Joseph said, Far be it from me to do this thing; the man with whom the cup has been found, he shall be my servant; but do ye go up with safety to your father.
18
And Judas drew near him, and said, I pray, Sir, let thy servant speak a word before thee, and be not angry with thy servant, for thou art next to Pharao.
19
Sir, thou askedst thy servants, saying, Have ye a father or a brother?
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And we said to [my] lord, We have a father, an old man, and he has a son of his old age, a young one, and his brother is dead, and he alone has been left behind to his mother, and his father loves him.
21
And thou saidst to thy servants, Bring him down to me, and I will take care of him.
22
And we said to [my] lord, The child will not be able to leave his father; but if he should leave his father, he will die.
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But thou saidst to thy servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, ye shall not see my face again.
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And it came to pass, when we went up to thy servant our father, we reported to him the words of our lord.
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And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
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And we said, We shall not be able to go down; but if our younger brother go down with us, we will go down; for we shall not be able to see the man's face, our younger brother not being with us.
27
And thy servant our father said to us, Ye know that my wife bore me two [sons];
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and one is departed from me; and ye said that he was devoured of wild beasts, and I have not seen him until now.
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If then ye take this one also from my presence, and an affliction happen to him by the way, then shall ye bring down my old age with sorrow to the grave.
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Now then, if I should go in to thy servant, and our father, and the boy should not be with us, (and his life depends on this [lad's] life)—
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it shall even come to pass, when he sees the boy is not with us, [that] he will die, and thy servants will bring down the old age of thy servant, and our father, with sorrow to the grave.
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For thy servant has received the boy [in charge] from his father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, and place him before thee, I shall be guilty towards my father for ever.
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Now then I will remain a servant with thee instead of the lad, a domestic of my lord; but let the lad go up with his brethren.
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For how shall I go up to my father, the lad not being with us? lest I behold the evils which will befal my father.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Præcepit autem Ioseph dispensatori domus suæ, dicens: Imple saccos eorum frumento, quantum possunt capere: et pone pecuniam singulorum in summitate sacci.
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Scyphum autem meum argenteum, et pretium quod dedit tritici, pone in ore sacci iunioris. factumque est ita.
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Et orto mane, dimissi sunt cum asinis suis.
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Iamque urbem exierant, et processerant paululum: tunc Ioseph accersito dispensatore domus, Surge, inquit, et persequere viros: et apprehensis dicito: Quare reddidistis malum pro bono?
5
Scyphus, quem furati estis, ipse est in quo bibit dominus meus, et in quo augurari solet: pessimam rem fecistis.
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Fecit ille ut iusserat. Et apprehensis per ordinem locutus est.
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Qui responderunt: Quare sic loquitur dominus noster, ut servi tui tantum flagitii commiserint?
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Pecuniam, quam invenimus in summitate saccorum, reportavimus ad te de terra Chanaan: et quo modo consequens est ut furati simus de domo domini tui aurum vel argentum?
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Apud quemcumque fuerit inventum servorum tuorum quod quæris, moriatur, et nos erimus servi domini nostri.
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Qui dixit eis: Fiat iuxta vestram sententiam: apud quemcumque fuerit inventus, ipse sit servus meus, vos autem eritis innoxii.
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Itaque festinato deponentes in terram saccos, aperuerunt singuli.
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Quos scrutatus, incipiens a maiore usque ad minimum, invenit scyphum in sacco Beniamin.
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At illi, scissis vestibus, oneratisque rursum asinis, reversi sunt in oppidum.
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Primusque Iudas cum fratribus ingressus est ad Ioseph (necdum enim de loco abierat) omnesque ante eum pariter in terram corruerunt.
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Quibus ille ait: Cur sic agere voluistis? an ignoratis quod non sit similis mei in augurandi scientia?
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Cui Iudas: Quid respondebimus, inquit, domino meo? vel quid loquemur aut iuste poterimus obtendere? Deus invenit iniquitatem servorum tuorum: en omnes servi sumus domini mei, et nos, et apud quem inventus est scyphus.
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Respondit Ioseph: Absit a me ut sic agam: qui furatus est scyphum, ipse sit servus meus: vos autem abite liberi ad patrem vestrum.
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Accedens autem propius Iudas, confidenter ait: Oro domini mi, loquatur servus tuus verbum in auribus tuis, et ne irascaris famulo tuo: tu es enim post Pharaonem
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dominus meus. Interrogasti prius servos tuos: Habetis patrem, aut fratrem?
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et nos respondimus tibi domino meo: Est nobis pater senex, et puer parvulus, qui in senectute illius natus est; cuius uterinus frater mortuus est: et ipsum solum habet mater sua, pater vero tenere diliget eum.
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Dixistique servis tuis: Adducite eum ad me, et ponam oculos meos super illum.
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Suggessimus domino meo: Non potest puer relinquere patrem suum: si enim illum dimiserit, morietur.
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Et dixisti servis tuis: Nisi venerit frater vester minimus vobiscum, non videbitis amplius faciem meam.
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Cum ergo ascendissemus ad famulum tuum patrem nostrum, narravimus ei omnia quæ locutus est dominus meus.
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Et dixit pater noster: Revertimini, et emite nobis parum tritici.
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Cui diximus: Ire non possumus: si frater noster minimus descenderit nobiscum, proficiscemur simul: alioquin illo absente, non audemus videre faciem viri.
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Ad quæ ille respondit: Vos scitis quod duos genuerit mihi uxor mea.
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Egressus est unus, et dixistis: Bestia devoravit eum: et hucusque non comparet.
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Si tuleritis et istum, et aliquid ei in via contigerit, deducetis canos meos cum mœrore ad inferos.
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Igitur si intravero ad servum tuum patrem nostrum, et puer defuerit, (cum anima illius ex huius anima pendeat)
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videritque eum non esse nobiscum, morietur, et deducent famuli tui canos eius cum dolore ad inferos.
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Ego proprie servus tuus sim qui in meam hunc recepi fidem, et spopondi dicens: Nisi reduxero eum, peccati reus ero in patrem meum omni tempore.
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Manebo itaque servus tuus pro puero in ministerio domini mei, et puer ascendat cum fratribus suis.
34
Non enim possum redire ad patrem meum, absente puero: ne calamitatis, quæ oppressura est patrem meum, testis assistam.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth.
2
Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
3
As soon as the morning was light, 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, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?
5
Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”
6
He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.
7
They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!
8
Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?
9
With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
10
He said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.”
11
Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
12
He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13
Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.
14
Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.
15
Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”
16
Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”
17
He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
18
Then Judah came near to him, and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh.
19
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’
20
We said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.’
21
You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’
22
We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’
23
You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’
24
When we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25
Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’
26
We said, ‘We can’t 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
Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28
One went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since.
29
If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’
30
Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’s life;
31
it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol.
32
For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.’
33
Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up with his brothers.
34
For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will come on my father.”
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
And he commandeth him who <FI>is<Fi> over his house, saying, `Fill the bags of the men <FI>with<Fi> 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 <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>in<Fi> 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 <FI>is<Fi> ; 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 <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>are<Fi> 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.'
18
And Judah cometh nigh unto him, and saith, `O, my lord, let thy servant speak, I pray thee, a word in the ears of my lord, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant--for thou art as Pharaoh.
19
My lord hath asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father or brother?
20
and we say unto my lord, We have a father, an aged one, and a child of old age, a little one; and his brother died, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father hath loved him.
21
`And thou sayest unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, and I set mine eye upon him;
22
and we say unto my lord, The youth is not able to leave his father, when he hath left his father, then he hath died;
23
and thou sayest unto thy servants, If your young brother come not down with you, ye add not to see my face.
24
`And it cometh to pass, that we have come up unto thy servant my father, that we declare to him the words of my lord;
25
and our father saith, Turn back, buy for us a little food,
26
and we say, We are not able to go down; if our young brother is with us, then we have gone down; for we are not able to see the man's face, and our young brother not with us.
27
`And thy servant my father saith unto us, Ye--ye have known that two did my wife bare to me,
28
and the one goeth out from me, and I say, Surely he is torn--torn! and I have not seen him since;
29
when ye have taken also this from my presence, and mischief hath met him, then ye have brought down my grey hairs with evil to sheol.
30
`And now, at my coming in unto thy servant my father, and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up in his soul),
31
then it hath come to pass when he seeth that the youth is not, that he hath died, and thy servants have brought down the grey hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to sheol;
32
for thy servant obtained the youth by surety from my father, saying, If I bring him not in unto thee--then I have sinned against my father all the days.
33
`And now, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the youth a servant to my lord, and the youth goeth up with his brethren,
34
for how do I go up unto my father, and the youth not with me? lest I look on the evil which doth find my father.'
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).