Genesis 44:1-14

¹Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.

²Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.

³At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.

⁴They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?

⁵Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”

⁶When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

⁷“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.

⁸We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?

⁹If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”

¹⁰“As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”

¹¹So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

¹²The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest — and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

¹³Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

¹⁴When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

Related Resources from Heartlight

Cross References for Genesis 44:1-14

The Berean Standard Bible