1 Later, Joseph told the servant in charge of his house: »Fill the men’s grain sacks with as much as they can hold and put their money in the sacks.

2 »Also put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest brother.« The servant did as he was told.

3 When it was light the men took their donkeys and left.

4 They just left the city and were not far off, when Joseph said to the man in charge of his house: »Follow the men and when you overtake them, say to them: ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?

5 »‘Is this the cup that my master drinks from and that he uses for telling the future? What you have done is evil!’«

6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them.

7 They answered him: »What do you mean, Sir, by talking like this? We swear that we have done no such thing.

8 »You know that we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money we found in the top of our sacks. Why should we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?

9 »If you find that one of us has the cup, then kill him. The rest of us will become your slaves.«

10 »Good!« the man replied. »I would do what you have said. But only the one who has the cup will become my slave. The rest of you can go free.«

11 Each of the brothers quickly put his sack on the ground and opened it.

12 Joseph’s servant started searching the sacks. They began with the one that belonged to the oldest brother. When he came to Benjamin’s sack, he found the cup.

13 This upset the brothers so much that they began tearing their clothes in sorrow. Then they loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.

14 When Judah and his brothers got there, Joseph was still at home. So they bowed down to Joseph.

15 He asked them: »What have you done? Did you not know I could find out?«

16 »Sir, what can we say?« Judah replied. »How can we prove we are innocent? God has shown that we are guilty. And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup.«

17 He said: »It is far from me that I should do this. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant. As for you, you go in peace to your father.«

18 Judah went up to Joseph and said: »Please, Sir, let me speak openly with you. Do not be angry with me, although you are equal to Pharaoh.

19 »Sir, you asked us, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

20 »We answered, ‘We have a father who is old and a younger brother born to him when he was already old. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

21 ‘Then you said to us, ‘Bring him here to me so that I can see him myself.’

22 »We replied, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If the boy leaves him, his father will die.’

23 »Then you said you will not be admitted to my presence again unless your youngest brother comes with you.’

24 »We went back and told our father what you said.

25 »He told us to return and buy a little food.

26 »We answered, ‘We cannot go. We will not be admitted to the man’s presence unless our youngest brother is with us. We can go only if our youngest brother also goes.’

27 »Our father said, ‘You know that my wife Rachel bore me only two sons.

28 »‘One has already left me. He must have been torn to pieces by wild animals, because I have not seen him since he left.

29 »‘If you take this one from me now and something happens to him, the sorrow you would cause me would kill me, as old as I am.’

30 »That is why Benjamin must be with us when I go back to my father. He loves him so much

31 »that he will die if Benjamin does not come back with me.

32 »I promised my father I would bring him home safely. If I do not, I told my father he could blame me the rest of my life.

33 »Sir, I am your slave. Please let me stay here in place of Benjamin. Please let him return home with his brothers.

34 »How can I face my father if Benjamin is not with me? I could not bear to see my father in such sorrow.«