And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they
heard that they should eat bread there. And when Joseph came home, they
brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and
bowed down themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them of their
welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is
he yet alive? And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet
alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance. And he lifted up his
eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and said, Is this
your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be
gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did
yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into
his chamber, and wept there. And he washed his face, and came out; and
he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. And they set on for him by
himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did
eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread
with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. And
they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the
youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one with
another. And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but
Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank
and were merry with him.
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. 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. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent
away, they and their asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and
were 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? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and
whereby he indeed divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. And he
overtook them, and he spake unto them these words. And they said unto
him, Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? God forbid that thy
servants should do such a thing. 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? With
whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be
my lord's bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your
words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and ye shall be
blameless. Then they hasted, and took down every man his sack to the
ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the
eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's
sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and
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