Genesis 44

Joseph Tests His Brothers

1 And he commanded 1 the a steward of his house, saying, b "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack. 2 "Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money." So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

3 As soon as the morning dawned, 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, "Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you c repaid evil for good? 5 'Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing."'

6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. 7 And they said to him, "Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing. 8 "Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan d the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house? 9 "With whomever of your servants it is found, e let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves." 10 And he said, "Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless." 11 Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. 12 So he searched. He began with the oldest and 2 left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 13 Then they f tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

14 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there; and they g fell before him on the ground. 15 And Joseph said to them, "What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?" 16 Then Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has h found out the iniquity of your servants; here i we are, my lord's slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found." 17 But he said, j "Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father."

18 Then Judah came near to him and said: "O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's hearing, and k do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh. 19 "My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?' 20 "And we said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and l a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is m dead, and he n alone is left of his mother's children, and his o father loves him.' 21 "Then you said to your servants, p 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.' 22 "And we said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.' 23 "But you said to your servants, q 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.'

24 "So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord. 25 "And r our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.' 26 "But we said, 'We cannot 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 "Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that s my wife bore me two sons; 28 'and the one went out from me, and I said, t "Surely he is torn to pieces"; and I have not seen him since. 29 'But if you u take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.'

30 "Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since v his life is bound up in the lad's life, 31 "it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 "For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, w 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.' 33 "Now therefore, please x let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 "For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would 3 come upon my father?"

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 43:16
    When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 42:25
    Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man's money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:21
    Now David had said, "Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 43:21
    But it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 31:32
    With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 37:29
    Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
    Genesis 37:34
    Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
    Numbers 14:6
    But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes.
    2 Samuel 1:11
    Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 37:7
    "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."
    Genesis 37:10
    So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?
  8. Cross References
    Numbers 32:23
    But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 44:9
    "With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."
  10. Cross References
    Proverbs 17:15
    He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 18:30
    Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there.
    Genesis 18:32
    Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.
    Exodus 32:22
    So Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 37:3
    Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
    Genesis 43:8
    Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
    Genesis 44:30
    Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life.
  13. Cross References
    Genesis 42:38
    But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 46:19
    The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife, were Joseph and Benjamin.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 42:4
    But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "Lest some calamity befall him.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 42:15
    In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
    Genesis 42:20
    And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 43:3
    But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.
    Genesis 43:5
    "But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you."'
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 43:2
    And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 30:22 - 24
    Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
    Genesis 35:16 - 18
    Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor.
    Genesis 46:19
    The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife, were Joseph and Benjamin.
  20. Cross References
    Genesis 37:31 - 35
    So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood.
  21. Cross References
    Genesis 42:36
    And Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.
    Genesis 42:38
    But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.
    Genesis 44:31
    It will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
  22. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:1
    Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
    1 Samuel 25:29
    Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling.
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 43:9
    I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
  24. Cross References
    Exodus 32:32
    "Yet now, if You will forgive their sin - but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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