Jacob, Joseph & Egypt

And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one with another.

And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.

And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his grain money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

And when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

Is not this that in which my lord drinketh, and whereby he indeed divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these words.

And they said unto him, Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing.

Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold?

With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.

And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and ye shall be blameless.

Then they hasted, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left off at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; and he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? know ye not that such a man as I can indeed divine?

And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.

And he said, Far be it from me that I should do so: the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh, 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.