Then Judah took Benjamin and brought him before Joseph, and they prostrated themselves to the ground. And the brothers gave Joseph the presents which their father had sent to him. And Joseph asked them whether all went well with their children and with their old father, and they answered, “It is well with all of us.”
Then Judah delivered his father’s letter to Joseph, and the latter recognised his father’s hand, and his feelings grew too strong for him; the recollections of his youth overpowered him, and retiring into a side apartment he wept bitterly.
Returning to the presence of his brothers, Joseph’s eyes rested upon Benjamin, his mother’s son, and he asked, “Is this your youngest brother of whom ye told me?” And when Benjamin drew near, Joseph laid his hand upon his brother’s head, and said, “God be gracious unto thee, my son.”
Then restraining his feelings, he ordered his officers to prepare the dining-tables.
Then when the meal was ready Joseph took into his hand a cup,—a cup of solid silver, set with precious stones, and holding it in his hand in the presence of his brothers, Joseph said, “I know by this cup that Reuben is the first-born of your father, therefore shall he sit first, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun shall follow him in this order, according to their ages; the rest shall follow these according to their ages.”
And he said further, “I know that your youngest brother has no mother, neither have I a mother, therefore will we two sit together.”
And the men marvelled much at the words of Joseph, as they ate and drank with Joseph upon that day.
In the morning Joseph dismissed his brethren, and bade them return to their father in peace. But when they had departed he called his servants, and ordered them to pursue after, overtake them, and bring them back.
And when the servants of Joseph overtook them, and said to them, “Why have ye done this thing to steal our master’s cup?” the brothers of Joseph were indignant, and they answered, “If ye find the cup in the possession of any one of us, lo, he shall die, and we, his brethren, shall be your master’s slaves”; but when the cup was found where Joseph had ordered it to be put, in Benjamin’s sack, they returned, grieving and crestfallen, to the presence of Joseph.
The viceroy was seated upon his throne, and his officers of state were gathered about him when his brethren entered, and speaking roughly to them, he said: “What evil deed is this which you have wrought? Why did ye take my silver cup? Is it because you could not find that brother you spoke of in the country that you stole the cup instead? Answer and tell me why have ye done this thing?”