Joseph Tests His Brothers
1 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 [grain] money in the mouth of the sack.
1 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.
1 (A)Then he commanded his house steward, saying, “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.
1 Then Joseph commanded his steward: “Fill the men’s bags with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s money at the top of his bag.(A)
1 Later, Joseph commanded his palace manager, "Fill the men's sacks to full capacity with food and replace each man's money at the top of the sack.
2 Put my [personal] cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his grain money.” And the steward did as Joseph had told him.
2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
2 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain.” And he did (a)as Joseph had told him.
2 Put my cup, the silver one, at the top of the youngest one’s bag, along with his grain money.” So he did as Joseph told him.
2 Then place my cup the silver one in the top of the sack belonging to the youngest one, along with the money he brought to buy grain." So the manager did precisely what Joseph told him to do.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
3 At morning light, the men were sent off with their donkeys.
3 Early the next morning, the men were sent on their way, along with their donkeys.
4 When they had left the city, and were not yet far away, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil [to us] for good [paid to you]?
4 And when they were gone out of the city, and 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?
4 They had just gone out of (B)the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, “Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?
4 They had not gone very far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Get up. Pursue the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good?(a)
4 They had not traveled far from the city when Joseph ordered his palace manager, "Get up, follow those men, and when you've caught up with them, ask them, "Why did you repay evil for good?
5 Is this not my lord’s drinking cup and the one which he uses for divination? You have done [a great and unforgivable] wrong in doing this.’”
5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
5 Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for (C)divination? You have done wrong in doing this.’”
5 Isn’t this the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination?(B) What you have done is wrong!’”
5 Don't you have the cup that my master uses to drink from and also uses to practice divination? You're wrong to have done this.'"
7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak these things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!
7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
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.
7 They said to him, “Why does my lord say these things? Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
7 "Your Excellency," they replied, "Why do you speak like this? Far be it from your servants to act like this.
8 Please remember, the money which we found in the mouths of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Is it likely then that we would steal silver or gold from your master’s house?
8 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?
8 Behold, (D)the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?
8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money we found at the top of our bags. How could we steal gold and silver from your master’s house?
8 Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money that we found at the top of our sacks. How, then, could we have stolen silver or gold from your master's palace?
9 With whomever of your servants your master’s cup is found, let him die, and the rest of us will be my lord’s slaves.”
9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
9 (E)With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s (F)slaves.”
9 Go ahead and execute whichever one of your servants is discovered to have it, and we'll remain as your master's slaves."
10 And the steward said, “Now let it be as you say; he with whom the cup is found will be my slave, but the rest of you shall be blameless.”
10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
10 So he said, “Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent.”
10 The steward replied, “What you have said is right, but only the one who is found to have it will be my slave, and the rest of you will be blameless.”
10 "Agreed," he responded. "Just as you've said, the one who is found to have it in his possession will become my slave, and the rest of you will be innocent."
11 Then every man quickly lowered his sack to the ground and each man opened his sack [confident the cup would not be found among them].
11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
11 Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
11 So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
11 So they quickly dismounted, unloaded their sacks onto the ground, and each one of them opened his own sack.
12 The steward searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
12 He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and (G)the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
12 The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
12 The palace manager searched for the cup, beginning with the oldest brother's sack and ending with the youngest brother's sack, and there it was! in Benjamin's sack.
13 Then they tore their clothes [in grief]; and after each man had loaded his donkey again, they returned to the city.
13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
13 Then they (H)tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to (I)the city.
13 At this, they all tore their clothes, reloaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there; and they fell to the ground before him.
14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there, and (J)they fell to the ground before him.
14 When Judah and his brothers reached Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell to the ground before him.(E)
14 Joseph was waiting for them back at his palace when his brothers returned. They fell to the ground in front of him,
15 Joseph spoke harshly to them, “What is this thing that you have done? Do you not realize that such a man as I can indeed practice divination and foretell [everything you do without outside knowledge of it]?”
15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
15 Joseph said to them, “What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice (K)divination?”
15 “What is this you have done?” Joseph said to them. “Didn’t you know that a man like me could uncover the truth by divination?”
15 and Joseph asked them, "Why did you do this? Don't you know that I'm an expert at divination?"
16 So Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we reply? Or how can we clear ourselves, since God has exposed the sin and guilt of your servants? Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, the rest of us as well as he with whom the cup is found.”
16 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 servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.
16 So Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s (L)slaves, both we and the one in whose (c)possession the cup has been found.”
16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ iniquity. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”
16 "What can we say, Your Excellency?" Judah replied. "How can we explain this or justify ourselves? God has discovered the sin of your servants, and now we've become slaves to you, Your Excellency, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been discovered."
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me that I should do that; but the man in whose hand the cup has been found, he will be my servant; and as for [the rest of] you, get up and go in peace to your father.”
17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
17 But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose (d)possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
17 Then Joseph said, “I swear that I will not do this. The man in whose possession the cup was found will be my slave. The rest of you can go in peace to your father.”
17 "Far be it from me to do this," Joseph responded. "The man in whose possession the cup was discovered will be my slave, but the rest of you may leave in peace to be with your father."
Judah's Plea For Benjamin
18 Then Judah approached him, and said, “O my lord, please let your servant say a word to you in private, and do not let your anger blaze against your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh [so I speak as if directly to him].
18 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.
18 Then Judah approached him, and said, “Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and (e)(M)do not be angry with your servant; for (N)you are equal to Pharaoh.
18 But Judah approached him and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord.(c) Do not be angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.(F)
18 But Judah approached him and begged him, "Your Excellency, please allow your servant to speak to you privately. Please don't be angry with your servant, since you are equal to Pharaoh.
20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an old father and a young [brother, Benjamin, the] child of his old age. Now his brother [Joseph] is dead, and he alone is left of [the two sons born of] his mother, and his father loves him.’
20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an old father and (P)a little child of his old age. Now (Q)his brother is dead, so he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.’
20 and we answered my lord, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age.(G) The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
20 and we answered Your Excellency, "We have an aged father and a younger child who was born when he was old. His brother is now dead, so he's the only surviving son of his mother. His father loves him.'
22 But we said to my lord, ‘The (a)young man cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’
22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
22 But we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, (f)his father would die.’
22 But we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
22 So we told Your Excellency, "The young man cannot leave his father, because if he were to do so, his father would die.'
23 You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you shall not see my face again.’
23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
23 You said to your servants, however, ‘(S)Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
23 Then you said to your servants, ‘If your younger brother does not come down with you, you will not see me again.’(I)
23 But then you told your servants, "Unless your youngest brother comes back with you, you won't see my face again.'
24 So when we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said.
24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
24 Thus it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
24 “This is what happened when we went back to your servant my father: We reported your words to him.
24 Later on, after we had gone back to your servant, my father, we told him what Your Excellency had said.
26 But we said, ‘We cannot go down [to Egypt]. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down [there]; for we [were sternly told that we] cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’
26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
26 But we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’
26 We told him, ‘We cannot go down unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother isn’t with us, we cannot see the man.’
26 "But we told him, "We can't go back there. If our youngest brother accompanies us, we'll go back, but we cannot see the man's face again unless our youngest brother accompanies us.'
27 Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife [Rachel] bore me [only] two sons.
27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:
27 Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
27 "Then your servant, our father, told us, "You know my wife bore me two sons.
28 And one [son] went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces,” and I have not seen him since.
28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
28 and the one went out from me, and (V)I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces,” and I have not seen him since.
28 One of them left me, so I concluded "I'm certain that he has been torn to pieces," and I haven't seen him since then.
29 If you take this one also from me, and harm or an accident happens to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’
29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
29 If you take this one also from (g)me, and harm befalls him, you will (W)bring my gray hair down to Sheol in (h)sorrow.’
29 If you also take this one from me and anything happens to him, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.’(L)
29 If you take this one from me, too, and then something harmful happens to him, then it will be death for me and my sad, gray hair!'
30 Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the young man is not with us, since (b)his life is bound up in the young man’s life,
30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
30 Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since (i)(X)his life is bound up in the lad’s life,
30 “So if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us—his life is wrapped up with the boy’s life—
30 "So when I go back to your servant, my father, and the young man isn't with us, since he's constantly living life focused on his son,
31 when he sees that the young man is not with us, he will die; and your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in [great] sorrow.
31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
31 when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will (Y)bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.
31 when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hairs of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.
31 when he notices that the young man hasn't come back with us, he'll die, and your servants really will have brought death to your servant, our father, along with his sad, gray hair!
32 For your servant became security for the young man to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.’
32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
32 For your servant (Z)became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then (j)let me bear the blame before my father forever.’
32 Your servant became accountable to my father for the boy, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will always bear the guilt for sinning against you, my father.’(M)
32 Also, your servant pledged his own life as a guarantee of the young man's safety. I told my father, "If I don't bring him back to you, you can blame me forever.'
33 Now, therefore, please let your servant (Judah) remain here instead of the youth [to be] a slave to my lord, and let the young man go home with his brothers.
33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
33 Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.
33 Now please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave, in place of the boy. Let him go back with his brothers.
33 Therefore, please allow your servant to remain as a slave to Your Excellency, instead of the young man, and let the young man go back home with his brothers.
34 How can I go up to my father if the young man is not with me—for fear that I would see the tragedy that would overtake my [elderly] father [if Benjamin does not return]?”
34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.
34 For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me—for fear that I see the evil that would (k)overtake my father?”
34 For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the grief that would overwhelm my father.”
34 After all, how can I go back to my father if the young man doesn't accompany me? I'm afraid of what might happen to my father."