Jacob, Joseph & Egypt

They answered, "Your servant our father is well; yes, he is still alive," as they bowed in respect.

He looked up and saw Binyamin his brother, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" and added, "May God be good to you, my son."

Then Yosef hurried out, because his feelings toward his brother were so strong that he wanted to cry; he went into his bedroom and there he wept.

Then he washed his face and came out, but he controlled himself as he gave the order to serve the meal.

They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians included at the meal by themselves - Egyptians don't eat with Hebrews, because that is abhorrent to them.

So they sat there facing him, the firstborn in the place of honor, the youngest in last place; and the men expressed their amazement to each other.

Each was given his serving there in front of him, but Binyamin's portion was five times as large as any of theirs. So they drank and enjoyed themselves with him.

Then he ordered the manager of his household, "Fill the men's packs with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money just inside his pack.

And put my goblet, the silver one, just inside the pack of the youngest, along with his grain money." He did what Yosef told him to do.

At daybreak the men were sent off with their donkeys;

but before they were far from the city Yosef said to his manager, "Up, go after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid good with evil?

Isn't this the goblet my lord drinks from, indeed the one he uses for divination? What you have done is evil!'"

So he caught up with them and said these words to them.

They replied, "Why does my lord speak this way? Heaven forbid that we should do such a thing!

Why, the money we found inside our packs we brought back to you from the land of Kena'an! So how would we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?

Whichever one of us the goblet is found with, let him be put to death - and the rest of us will be my lord's slaves!"

He replied, "Fine; let it be as you have said: whichever one it is found with will be my slave. But the rest of you will be blameless."

Then each hurried to put his pack down on the ground, and each one opened his pack.

He searched, starting with the oldest and ending with the youngest; and the goblet was found in the pack belonging to Binyamin.

At this, they tore their clothes from grief. Then each man loaded up his donkey and returned to the city. (A: Maftir)

Y'hudah and his brothers arrived at Yosef's house. He was still there, and they fell down before him on the ground. (S: Maftir)

Yosef said to them, "How could you do such a thing? Don't you know that a man such as myself can learn the truth by divination?"

Y'hudah said, "There's nothing we can say to my lord! How can we speak? There's no way we can clear ourselves! God has revealed your servants' guilt; so here we are, my lord's slaves - both we and also the one in whose possession the cup was found."

But he replied, "Heaven forbid that I should act in such a way. The man in whose possession the goblet was found will be my slave; but as for you, go in peace to your father."

Then Y'hudah approached Yosef and said, "Please, my lord! Let your servant say something to you privately; and don't be angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.