Genesis 44

1 Then Joseph [the ruler of Egypt, son of Jacob] instructed his steward: “Fill [to make full, to supply abundantly] the men’s sacks [bags, containers] with as much food [grain, provisions] as they can carry [be able, have the strength], and put [to set, to place] each one’s silver [money, payment] in the mouth [lip, edge] of his sack [bag, pouch]. word study 2 Put my cup [a precious vessel], the silver [valuable metal] one, in the mouth [lip, edge, or opening] of the youngest one’s sack [bag, container for grain], along with the silver [money, payment] for his grain [corn, food].” So the steward did as Joseph [Jehovah has added, a name given to several Israelites] had instructed [spoken, commanded, given direction]. word study 3 At [as soon as it was] daybreak [morning, when the morning was light], the men [they, a group of males] were sent [to depart] on their way with their donkeys [asses, male donkeys]. word study 4 They had not gone far [a short distance, hardly departed] from the city [a place of dwelling, a town] when Joseph [Jehovah has added, a name given to several Israelites] told his steward [the servant in charge of his house], “Pursue [to chase, follow after] the men [a group of males, individuals] at once [immediately, without delay], and when you overtake [reach, catch up to] them, ask [say, speak to], ‘Why have you repaid [rewarded, given back] good [pleasant, beneficial] with evil [bad, morally wrong, harmful] [in return for the good done to you]? word study 5 Is this [the specific one, that particular] not the cup [used for divination, a vessel for prophecy] my master [lord, ruler, leader] drinks from [uses for special purposes] and uses for divination [to predict the future, to gain insight]? What you have done [committed, carried out] is wicked [evil, morally wrong, harmful]!’” word study 6 When the steward [servant, attendant] overtook [caught up with, reached] them, he relayed [spoke, communicated] these words [things, matters] to [toward, with] them [the brothers, the men]. word study 7 “Why [for what reason, on what grounds] does my [supreme, having authority over us] lord [master, ruler] say [speak, utter] these things [words, matters]?” they asked [inquired, requested to know]. “Your [belonging to you, under your authority] servants [attendants, those bound to serve] could [are able, have the power to] not [by no means, in no way] possibly [under any circumstances, in any way] do [perform, carry out] such a thing [deed, action, like this]. word study 8 We even brought back to you from the land [region, territory] of Canaan [the promised land, a land of milk and honey] the silver [money, payment, wealth] we found in the mouths [lips, edges] of our sacks [bags, containers]. Why would we steal [take secretly, deceive] silver [money, valuables] or gold [a precious metal, something of great value] from your master’s [lord, ruler, one in authority] house [dwelling place, family]? word study 9 If any [one of us, a single servant] of your servants [bondmen, those bound to serve] is found [discovered, located] to have it, he must die [be put to death, perish], and the rest [remainder, those left] will become [be, come into being as] slaves [bondmen, servants] of my lord [master, ruler].” word study 10 “As you say [according to your words, now also let it be],” replied the steward [servant, attendant]. “But only the one who is found [discovered, located] with the cup will be my [bond] slave, and the rest of you shall be [declared, considered] free of blame [innocent, guiltless, acquitted].” word study 11 So each one [hastening, in a rush] quickly lowered his sack [a flexible container, like a bag] to the ground [the land, the earth] and opened [to engrave or carve, to reveal] it. word study 12 The steward searched [thoroughly, beginning at the eldest], beginning with the oldest [the greatest, the eldest] and ending [completing, finishing] with the youngest [the smallest, the least]—and the cup [a goblet, a container] was found [discovered, attained] in Benjamin’s [son of the right hand, the youngest son of Jacob] sack [a bag, a flexible container]. word study 13 Then they all tore [rent, ripped apart] their clothes [mantles, garments], loaded [laded, imposed a burden on] their donkeys [asses], and returned [turned back, went back] to the city [town, urban settlement]. word study 14 When Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, son of Jacob] and his brothers [male siblings, close relatives] arrived at Joseph’s [Jehovah has added] house [dwelling place, family home], he [the son of Jacob and Rachel] was still [continuing, remaining] there [in that location, at that time], and they fell [to prostrate oneself, to humble oneself] to the ground [the earth, the land] before him [in his presence, face to face]. word study 15 “What [mysterious or wicked] is this [thing or act] deed you have done [committed or performed]?” Joseph [the son of Jacob, a man of God] declared. “Do you not know [are you not aware, do you not understand] that a man [a person, an individual] like me [with my gifts and abilities, a leader] can [is able to, has the power to] surely [certainly, without a doubt] divine [discover, discern, or perceive through supernatural means] the truth [reality, what is actually happening]?” word study 16 “What [how] can we say to my [supreme] lord [master, ruler]?” Judah [the leader of the tribe] replied. “How [in what way] can we plead [make our case, justify ourselves]? How [what means] can we justify [clear, vindicate] ourselves? God [Elohim, the all-knowing Judge] has exposed [revealed, brought to light] the iniquity [sin, moral evil] of your servants. We are now my lord’s [master’s] slaves [bondservants, those bound to serve]—both we and the one who was found [discovered, detected] with the cup [vessel, goblet].” word study 17 But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me [God forbid, a shocking thought] to do this. The man [individual, human being] who was found [discovered, located] with the cup [vessel, goblet] will be my slave [servant, bondman]. The rest of you may return [go up, ascend] to your father [parent, ancestor] in peace [completeness, wellness, harmony].” word study 18 Then Judah [drew near] approached Joseph and said, “Sir [my lord, master], please [if it please you, I pray] let your servant [slave, bondservant] speak personally [a word, a matter] to my lord [master, ruler]. Do not be angry [incensed, furious] with your servant [slave, attendant], for you are equal to [like, as powerful as] Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, the ruler] himself [in authority and power]. word study 19 My [master] lord asked [inquired of, spoken to] his servants [slaves, attendants], ‘Do you have [is there to you] a father [parent, ancestor] or [possibly] a brother [relative, kin]?’ word study 20 And we answered, ‘We have an elderly [aged, advanced in years] father and a younger [little, small] brother, the child [youth, son] of his old age [extreme age, latter years]. The boy’s brother is dead [has passed away, deceased]. He is the only one [alone, solitary] of his mother’s sons left [remaining, surviving], and his father loves [tenderly cares for, has affection for] him.’ word study 21 Then you told [commanded, spoke to] your servants [slaves, attendants], ‘Bring him down [to a lower place, descend] to me [toward my presence] so that I can see [set my eyes upon, gaze at] him [closely] [in order to know him intimately] for myself.’ word study 22 So we said to my lord [master, or ruler], ‘The boy [youth, young person] cannot leave [forsake, abandon] his father [parent, paternal figure]. If he were to leave [depart, abandon], his father would [certainly, inevitably] die [pass away, come to an end].’ word study 23 But you said [told, commanded] to your servants [slaves, attendants], ‘Unless [if not, except] your younger [smallest, youngest] brother [male sibling, close relative] comes down [descends, goes down] with you, you will not [no, none] see [look upon, behold] my face [presence, countenance] again [any more, once more].’ word study 24 Now when we returned [came up unto, went back] to your servant [slave, one who serves] my father [parent, ancestor], we relayed [told, declared] your words [things, matters] to him [namely, explicitly, to his attention]. word study 25 Then our father [our earthly parent, the patriarch] said, ‘Go back [return, turn back] and buy [trade, acquire] us some [a little, a small amount of] food [sustenance, nourishment, provision].’ word study 26 But we answered, ‘We cannot [are not able, have no power] go down [descend, travel to a lower place] there unless our younger [smallest, least] brother [male sibling, close relative] goes with [accompanies, is near] us. So if our younger brother is not [does not exist, is absent] with us, we cannot [have no ability, are powerless] see [look upon, gaze at] the man [male person, individual].’ word study 27 And your servant [faithful attendant, devoted slave] my father [loving parent, patriarch] said to us, ‘You know [are aware, have understanding] that my wife [female partner, companion] bore [gave birth to, brought forth] me two [a pair, dual] sons [male children, offspring]. word study 28 When one [a single, unique son] of them was gone [to come out, departed], I said: “Surely [certainly, without a doubt] he has been torn to pieces [ripped apart, devoured by a wild animal].” And I have not seen [looked upon, provided for] him since [until now, from that time on]. word study 29 Now if you also take [take away, remove] this one [this child, my son] from me and harm [mischief, evil] comes to him, you will bring my gray hair [old age, advanced years] down to Sheol [the grave, the underworld] in sorrow [grief, deep sadness].’ word study 30 So if the boy [youth, a young person] is not with us [in our company, near us] when I return [come back, go back] to your servant [slave, one who serves], and if my father [the one who gave me life, my ancestor], whose life [soul, living being] is wrapped up [bound, tied] in the boy’s life [the young person’s existence], word study 31 sees that the boy [youth, a young person] is not with us, he will die [pass away, come to an end]. Then your servants [slaves, attendants] will have brought the gray hair [sign of old age, wisdom] of your servant [one who serves, a slave] our father [parent, patriarch] down to Sheol [the underworld, grave] in sorrow [grief, anguish]. word study 32 Indeed, your servant [pledged, became surety] guaranteed the boy’s [youth, young person] safety to my father [parent, ancestor], saying, ‘If I do not [fail to, am unable to] return him to you, I will bear the guilt [blame, responsibility] before you, my father [parent, ancestor], all [every, the entirety of] my life [days, existence].’ word study 33 Now [at this time, in this moment] please [I pray, if you will] let your servant [slave, bondman] stay here as my lord’s [master, ruler] slave [servant, bondman] in place of [instead of, as a substitute for] the boy [youth, young one]. Let him return [go up, ascend] with [together with, in the company of] his brothers [brethren, siblings]. word study 34 For [because of this reason] how [in what manner] can I go back [return, ascend] to my father [parent, paternal figure] without [lacking, absent] the boy [youth, young one]? I could not [am unable, lest] bear [endure, tolerate] to see [behold, witness] the misery [evil, calamity] that would [may, might] overwhelm [come upon, find] him [my father, the one I care about].” word study