Study Desk

They did not know that Joseph understood them. For there was a man between them to tell the meaning of each other's language.

Then Joseph had their bags filled with grain. He had each man's money returned to his bag, to buy what was needed as they traveled. So this was done for them.

Then the man who is ruler of the land said to us, ‘I will know that you are telling the truth by this test. Leave one of your brothers with me. Take grain for your hungry families and go.

But Jacob said, "My son will not go with you. For his brother is dead, and only he is left. If something were to happen to him during your traveling, you would bring my white hair down to the grave in sorrow."

But if you do not send him, we will not go. For the man said, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"

I will put myself as trust for him. You may put him in my care. If I do not return him to you and set him in front of you, then let the blame be on me forever.

For if we had not waited, we would have returned twice by now."

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the man who took care of his house, "Bring the men into the house. And kill an animal and make it ready. For the men will eat with me at noon."

The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house. They said, "We are being brought in because of the money that was returned in our bags the first time we came. He is looking for something against us. He will come down on us and take us for servants with our donkeys."

So they made the gift ready to give to Joseph when he came at noon. For they had heard that they were to eat there.

Then Joseph went out in a hurry. For he had much feeling for his brother. He went in his room and cried.

Put my silver cup in the bag of the youngest, with his money for the grain." And he did what Joseph had told him to do.

When they had left the city and were not far away, Joseph said to the man who took care of his house, "Get up and follow the men. When you come to them, say to them, ‘Why have you returned bad for good? Why have you stolen the silver cup?

Is this not my lord's drinking cup that he uses for telling about the future? You have done wrong.'"

The man looked for it, beginning with the oldest and stopping with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's bag.

Then Judah came near to him, and said, "O my lord, let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears. Do not be angry with your servant. For you are like Pharaoh himself.

But we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. For if he should leave his father, his father would die.'

But we said, ‘We cannot go there. If our youngest brother is with us, we will go there. For we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

One left me, and I said, "For sure he is torn to pieces." I have not seen him since.

For I put myself as trust for the boy to my father. I said, ‘If I do not return him to you, then let the blame be on me forever.'