Genesis 44:18-34 - Judah's Plea For Benjamin

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.