Joseph Tests His Brothers

Genesis 44

1 Then he commanded p the steward of his house, q "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 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain." And he did as Joseph told him.

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. 4 They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his r steward, "Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good? 1 5 Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and s by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.'"

6 When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. 7 They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! 8 Behold, t the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house? 9 u Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be v my lord's servants." 10 He said, "Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent." 11 Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12 And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 13 Then they w tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there. They x fell before him to the ground. 15 Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me y can indeed practice divination?" 16 And Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out z the guilt of your servants; behold, we are a my lord's servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found." 17 But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father."

18 Then Judah went up to him and said, b "Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears, and c let not your anger burn against your servant, for d you are like Pharaoh himself. 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, e and a young brother, f the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him.' 21 Then you said to your servants, g 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.' 22 We said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, h his father would die.' 23 Then you said to your servants, i 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.'

24 "When we went back to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25 And when j our father said, 'Go again, buy us a little food,' 26 we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down. For we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.' 27 Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me k two sons. 28 One left me, and I said, l Surely he has been torn to pieces, and I have never seen him since. 29 If you m take this one also from me, n and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in evil to Sheol.'

30 "Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy's life, 31 as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. 32 For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, o 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.' 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father."

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 44:4
    They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, "Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?
    Genesis 43:16
    When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 42:25
    And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 44:1
    Then he commanded the steward of his house, "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.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 44:15
    Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?
    Genesis 30:27
    But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.
    2 Kings 21:6
    And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
    2 Chronicles 33:6
    And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 43:21
    And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 31:32
    Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 44:16
    And Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 37:29
    When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 37:7
    Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.
    Genesis 37:9 - 10
    Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.
    Genesis 42:6
    Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
    Genesis 43:26
    When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.
    Genesis 43:28
    They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 44:5
    Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.'
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 37:18
    They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.
    Numbers 32:23
    But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 44:9
    Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord's servants.
  13. Cross References
    Genesis 43:20
    And said, "Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.
  14. Cross References
    Exodus 32:22
    And Aaron said, "Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 41:40
    You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 44:30
    Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy's life.
    Genesis 43:8
    And Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 37:3
    Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 42:15
    By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from 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.
    Genesis 43:3
    But Judah said to him, "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.'
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 44:31
    As soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.
  20. Cross References
    Genesis 43:3
    But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.
  21. Cross References
    Genesis 43:2
    And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little food.
  22. Cross References
    Genesis 46:19
    The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin.
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 37:33
    And he identified it and said, "It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 42:36
    And Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.
    Genesis 42:38
    But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.
  25. Cross References
    Genesis 42:4
    But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him.
    Genesis 42:38
    But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.
  26. Cross References
    Genesis 43:9
    I will be a pledge of his safety. 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.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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