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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Genesis 44 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/genesis/44.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/genesis/44-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Genesis 44</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../genesis/43.htm" title="Genesis 43">◄</a> Genesis 44 <a href="../genesis/45.htm" title="Genesis 45">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">The Missing Cup</h3><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_1"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.1-Gen.44.2" class="v0_44_1">1-2</span>Later, Joseph told the servant in charge of his house, “Fill the men's grain sacks with as much as they can hold and put their money in the sacks. Also put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest brother.” The servant did as he was told.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_3"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.3" class="v0_44_3">3</span>Early the next morning, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. </span><span class="v0_44_4"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.4" class="v0_44_4">4</span>But they had not gone far from the city when Joseph told the servant, “Go after those men! When you catch them, say, ‘My master has been good to you. So why have you stolen his silver cup? </span><span class="v0_44_5"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.5" class="v0_44_5">5</span>Not only does he drink from his cup, but he also uses it to learn about the future. You have done a terrible thing.’ ”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_6"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.6" class="v0_44_6">6</span>When the servant caught up with them, he said exactly what Joseph had told him to say. </span><span class="v0_44_7"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.7" class="v0_44_7">7</span>But they replied, “Sir, why do you say such things? We would never do anything like that! </span><span class="v0_44_8"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.8" class="v0_44_8">8</span>We even returned the money we found in our grain sacks when we got back to Canaan. So why would we want to steal any silver or gold from your master's house? </span><span class="v0_44_9"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.9" class="v0_44_9">9</span>If you find that one of us has the cup, then kill him, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_10"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.10" class="v0_44_10">10</span>“Good!” the man replied, “I'll do what you have said. But only the one who has the cup will become my slave. The rest of you can go free.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_11"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.11" class="v0_44_11">11</span>Each of the brothers quickly put his sack on the ground and opened it. </span><span class="v0_44_12"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.12" class="v0_44_12">12</span>Joseph's servant started searching the sacks, beginning with the one that belonged to the oldest brother. When he came to Benjamin's sack, he found the cup. </span><span class="v0_44_13"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.13" class="v0_44_13">13</span>This upset the brothers so much that they began tearing their clothes in sorrow. Then they loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_14"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.14" class="v0_44_14">14</span>When Judah and his brothers got there, Joseph was still at home. So they bowed down to Joseph, </span><span class="v0_44_15"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.15" class="v0_44_15">15</span>who asked them, “What have you done? Didn't you know I could find out?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_16"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.16" class="v0_44_16">16</span>“Sir, what can we say?” Judah replied. “How can we say we are innocent, when God has shown we are guilty? And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_17"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.17" class="v0_44_17">17</span>Joseph told them, “I would never punish all of you. Only the one who was caught with the cup will become my slave. The rest of you are free to go home to your father.”</span></p><h3 class="s1">Judah Pleads for Benjamin</h3><p class="par"><span class="v0_44_18"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.18" class="v0_44_18">18</span>Judah went over to Joseph and said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_44_18">Sir, you have as much power as the king<a href="#fn" id="link_Gen.44.18!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> himself, and I am only your slave. Please don't get angry if I speak. </span><span class="v0_44_19"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.19" class="v0_44_19">19</span>You asked us if our father was still alive and if we had any more brothers. </span><span class="v0_44_20"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.20" class="v0_44_20">20</span>So we told you, “Our father is a very old man. In fact, he was already old when Benjamin was born. Benjamin's brother is dead. Now Benjamin is the only one of the two brothers who is still alive, and our father loves him very much.”</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_44_21"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.21" class="v0_44_21">21</span>You ordered us to bring him here, so you could see him for yourself. </span><span class="v0_44_22"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.22" class="v0_44_22">22</span>We told you that our father would die if Benjamin left him. </span><span class="v0_44_23"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.23" class="v0_44_23">23</span>But you warned us that we could never see you again, unless our youngest brother came with us. </span><span class="v0_44_24"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.24" class="v0_44_24">24</span>So we returned to our father and reported what you had said.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_44_25"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.25" class="v0_44_25">25</span>Later our father sent us back here to buy more grain. </span><span class="v0_44_26"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.26" class="v0_44_26">26</span>But we told him, “We can't go back to Egypt without our youngest brother. We will never be let in to see the governor, unless he is with us.”</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_44_27"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.27" class="v0_44_27">27</span>Sir, our father then reminded us that his favorite wife had given birth to two sons. </span><span class="v0_44_28"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.28" class="v0_44_28">28</span>One of them was already missing and had not been seen for a long time. My father thinks the boy was torn to pieces by some wild animal, </span><span class="v0_44_29"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.29" class="v0_44_29">29</span>and he said, “I am an old man. If you take Benjamin from me, and something happens to him, I will die of a broken heart.”</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_44_30"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.30" class="v0_44_30">30</span>That's why Benjamin must be with us when I go back to my father. He loves him so much </span><span class="v0_44_31"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.31" class="v0_44_31">31</span>that he will die if Benjamin doesn't come back with me. </span><span class="v0_44_32"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.32" class="v0_44_32">32</span>I promised my father that I would bring him safely home. If I don't, I told my father he could blame me the rest of my life.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v0_44_33"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.33" class="v0_44_33">33</span>Sir, I am your slave. Please let me stay here in place of Benjamin and let him return home with his brothers. </span><span class="v0_44_34"><span class="reftext" id="Gen.44.34" class="v0_44_34">34</span>How can I face my father if Benjamin isn't with me? I couldn't bear to see my father in such sorrow.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">44.18 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the king: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 12.15.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Bible text from the Contemporary English Version 2nd Edition (CEV®) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (<a href="http://www.americanbible.org">www.americanbible.org</a>). Learn more at <a href="http://www.cev.bible">www.cev.bible</a>. 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