Chapter 44

1Then he commanded the overseer of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money into the mouth of his sack.   אוַיְצַ֞ו אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־בֵּיתוֹ֘ לֵאמֹר֒ מַלֵּ֞א אֶת־אַמְתְּחֹ֤ת הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ אֹ֔כֶל כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יֽוּכְל֖וּן שְׂאֵ֑ת וְשִׂ֥ים כֶּֽסֶף־אִ֖ישׁ בְּפִ֥י אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ:
2And my goblet, the silver goblet, put into the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his purchase money." And he did according to Joseph's word, which he had spoken.   בוְאֶת־גְּבִיעִ֞י גְּבִ֣יעַ הַכֶּ֗סֶף תָּשִׂים֙ בְּפִי֙ אַמְתַּ֣חַת הַקָּטֹ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת כֶּ֣סֶף שִׁבְר֑וֹ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כִּדְבַ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר:
goblet. Heb. גְבִיעַ, a tall cup, called maderine (a long, narrow goblet).   גְּבִיעִי.  כּוֹס אָרֹךְ, וְקוֹרִין לוֹ מדיר"נש בְּלַעַז:
3The morning became light, and the men were sent [on their way] they and their donkeys.   גהַבֹּ֖קֶר א֑וֹר וְהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֣ים שֻׁלְּח֔וּ הֵ֖מָּה וַֽחֲמֹֽרֵיהֶֽם:
4They had exited the city, but had not gone far when Joseph said to the overseer of his house, "Get up, pursue the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid good with evil?   דהֵ֠ם יָֽצְא֣וּ אֶת־הָעִיר֘ לֹ֣א הִרְחִ֒יקוּ֒ וְיוֹסֵ֤ף אָמַר֙ לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־בֵּית֔וֹ ק֥וּם רְדֹ֖ף אַֽחֲרֵ֣י הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְהִשַּׂגְתָּם֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לָ֛מָּה שִׁלַּמְתֶּ֥ם רָעָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת טוֹבָֽה:
5Is not this the one my master drinks from? Why, he even divines with it! You have done evil by the way you have acted.' "   ההֲל֣וֹא זֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁתֶּ֤ה אֲדֹנִי֙ בּ֔וֹ וְה֕וּא נַחֵ֥שׁ יְנַחֵ֖שׁ בּ֑וֹ הֲרֵֽעֹתֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲשִׂיתֶֽם:
6He overtook them, and he said these words to them.   ווַיַּשִּׂגֵ֑ם וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
7And they said to him, "Why should my master say such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do a thing like this!   זוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו לָ֚מָּה יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲדֹנִ֔י כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה חָלִ֨ילָה֙ לַֽעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ מֵֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
Far be it from your servants. Heb. חָלִילָה, it is profane for us (חוּלִין), an expression of disgrace. The Targum renders: חַס לְעַבְד‏ָ, may your servants be spared, [i.e.,] may the Holy One, blessed be He, spare us from doing this. [May He never allow us to do such a thing!] There are many such expressions in the Talmud: חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, God forbid.   חָלִילָה לַֽעֲבָדֶיךָ.  חֻלִּין הוּא לָנוּ, לְשׁוֹן גְּנַאי, וְתַרְגוּם חַס לְעַבְדָּיךְ – חַס מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְהִי עָלֵינוּ מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּתַּלְמוּד "חַס וְשָׁלוֹם":
8Behold, the money we found in the mouth of our sacks we returned to you from the land of Canaan; so how could we steal from your master's house silver or gold?   חהֵ֣ן כֶּ֗סֶף אֲשֶׁ֤ר מָצָ֨אנוּ֙ בְּפִ֣י אַמְתְּחֹתֵ֔ינוּ הֱשִׁיבֹ֥נוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וְאֵ֗יךְ נִגְנֹב֙ מִבֵּ֣ית אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ כֶּ֖סֶף א֥וֹ זָהָֽב:
Behold, the money, etc.. This is one of the ten a fortiori conclusions (deductions from minor to major) mentioned in the Torah, and they are all enumerated in Gen. Rabbah (92:7). 10.   הֵן כֶּסֶף אֲשֶׁר מָצָאנוּ.  זֶה אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה קַל וָחֹמֶר הָאֲמוּרִים בַּתּוֹרָה, וְכֻלָּן מְנוּיִין בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
9Whichever one of your servants with whom it is found shall die, and also we will be slaves to my master."   טאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִמָּצֵ֥א אִתּ֛וֹ מֵֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וָמֵ֑ת וְגַם־אֲנַ֕חְנוּ נִֽהְיֶ֥ה לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לַֽעֲבָדִֽים:
10And he said, "Now indeed, so it is as you have spoken. [But] the one with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be cleared."   יוַיֹּ֕אמֶר גַּם־עַתָּ֥ה כְדִבְרֵיכֶ֖ם כֶּן־ה֑וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִמָּצֵ֤א אִתּוֹ֙ יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֣י עָ֔בֶד וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְי֥וּ נְקִיִּֽם:
And he said, “Now indeed…”. Indeed, according to the law, it is as you have spoken, that you are all liable in this matter. I.e., [if there are] ten people, [and] in the possession of one a stolen article is found, they are all imprisoned. I will not treat you according to the strict letter of the law, however. [Instead, only] “the one with whom it (the goblet) is found shall be my slave.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 92:7]   גַּם־עַתָּה כְדִבְרֵיכֶם.  אַף זוֹ מִן הַדִּין אֱמֶת כְּדִבְרֵיכֶם כֵּן הוּא, שֶׁכֻּלְּכֶם חַיָּבִין בַּדָּבָר – י' שֶׁנִּמְצֵאת גְּנֵבָה בְּיַד א' מֵהֶם כֻּלָּם נִתְפָּשִׂים, אֲבָל אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין, אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא אִתּוֹ יִהְיֶה לִּי עָבֶד:
11So they hastened, and each one lowered his sack to the ground, and each one opened his sack.   יאוַיְמַֽהֲר֗וּ וַיּוֹרִ֛דוּ אִ֥ישׁ אֶת־אַמְתַּחְתּ֖וֹ אָ֑רְצָה וַיִּפְתְּח֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ אַמְתַּחְתּֽוֹ:
12He searched; he started with the eldest and finished with the youngest, and the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack.   יבוַיְחַפֵּ֕שׂ בַּגָּד֣וֹל הֵחֵ֔ל וּבַקָּטֹ֖ן כִּלָּ֑ה וַיִּמָּצֵא֙ הַגָּבִ֔יעַ בְּאַמְתַּ֖חַת בִּנְיָמִֽן:
he started with the eldest. so that they would not detect that he knew where it was. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:8]   בַּגָּדוֹל הֵחֵל.  שֶׁלֹּא יַרְגִּישׁוּ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ הֵיכָן הוּא:
13So they rent their garments, and each one loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.   יגוַיִּקְרְע֖וּ שִׂמְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹס֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־חֲמֹר֔וֹ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ הָעִֽירָה:
and each one loaded his donkey. They were very strong men, and they did not have to assist each other to load [the donkeys]. — [from Midrash Tanchuma, Mikeitz 10]   וַיַּֽעֲמֹס אִישׁ עַל־חֲמֹרוֹ.  בַּעֲלֵי זְרוֹעַ הָיוּ, וְלֹא הֻצְרְכוּ לְסַיֵּעַ זֶה אֶת זֶה לִטְעֹן:
and they returned to the city. It was [in fact] a [major] metropolis. So why does the Torah say,“to the city,” meaning a city of any size? Because it was of no more importance to them (the brothers) than an average-sized city (village) of ten people as regards [to fighting a] war. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:8]   וישובו הָעִֽירָה.  מֶטְרוֹפּוֹלִין הָיְתָה, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר הָעִירָה, הָעִיר כָּל שֶׁהוּא אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה חֲשׁוּבָה בְעֵינֵיהֶם אֶלָּא כְעִיר בֵּינוֹנִית שֶׁל י' בְּנֵי אָדָם לְעִנְיַן הַמִּלְחָמָה:
14And Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there, and they fell before him upon the ground.   ידוַיָּבֹ֨א יְהוּדָ֤ה וְאֶחָיו֙ בֵּ֣יתָה יוֹסֵ֔ף וְה֖וּא עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּפְּל֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אָֽרְצָה:
and he was still there. for he was waiting for them. — [from Midrash Tanchuma, Mikeitz 10]   עוֹדֶנּוּ שָׁם.  שֶׁהָיָה מַמְתִּין לָהֶם:
15And Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have committed? Don't you know that a person like me practices divination?"   טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף מָֽה־הַמַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֑ם הֲל֣וֹא יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם כִּֽי־נַחֵ֧שׁ יְנַחֵ֛שׁ אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּמֹֽנִי:
Don’t you know that a person like me practices divination?. Don’t you know that a person as esteemed as I knows how to test and ascertain through knowledge, reason, and discernment that you stole the goblet?- [from Targum Onkelos]   הלא יְדַעְתֶּם כִּֽי־נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ וגו'.  הֲלֹא יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי אִישׁ חָשׁוּב כָּמוֹנִי יוֹדֵעַ לְנַחֵשׁ וְלָדַעַת מִדַּעַת וּמִסְּבָרָא וּבִינָה, כִּי אַתֶּם גְּנַבְתֶּם הַגָּבִיעַ:
16And Judah said, "What shall we say to my master? What shall we speak, and how shall we exonerate ourselves? God has found your servants' iniquity, behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and the one in whose possession the goblet has been found."   טזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֗ה מַה־נֹּאמַר֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י מַה־נְּדַבֵּ֖ר וּמַה־נִּצְטַדָּ֑ק הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים מָצָא֙ אֶת־עֲוֹ֣ן עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ הִנֶּנּ֤וּ עֲבָדִים֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י גַּם־אֲנַ֕חְנוּ גַּ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֥א הַגָּבִ֖יעַ בְּיָדֽוֹ:
God has found. We know that we have not sinned, but this has come from the Omnipresent to bring this upon us. The Creditor has found a place to collect His debt. — [from Gen. Rabbah 92:9]   הָֽאֱלֹהִים מָצָא.  יוֹדְעִים אָנוּ שֶׁלֹּא סָרַחְנוּ, אֲבָל מֵאֵת הַמָּקוֹם נִהְיְתָה לְהָבִיא לָנוּ זֹאת, מָצָא בַּעַל חוֹב מָקוֹם לִגְבּוֹת שְׁטַר חוֹבוֹ:
and how shall we exonerate ourselves. Heb. נִצְטַדָּק, an expression of justice (צֶדֶק). Similarly, every word whose radical begins with a “zaddi,” and is to be used in the form of “hithpa’el” or “nithpa’el” (the reflexive voice), a “teth” is substituted for the “tav” [of the “hithpa’el”] and it is not placed before the first letter of the radical but in the middle of the radical letters. E.g., “shall we exonerate ourselves (נִצְטַדָּק),” from the root צדק, justice; “was drenched (יִצְטַבַּע)” (Dan. 4:30), from the root צבע, to drench; “and disguised as ambassadors (וַיִצְטַיָרוּ)” (Josh. 9:4), from the root of“a faithful emissary (צִיר)” (Prov. 13:17); “we took…for our provision (הִצְטַיַדְנוּ)” (Josh. 9:12) from the root of “provisions (צֵידָה) for the way” (Gen. 42:25). [In cont-rast, in the case of] a word whose radical begins with a “sammech” or “sin,” when it is used in the “hith-pa’el,” [it is] a “tav” [that] separates the letters of the radical, e.g., “and the grasshopper will drag itself along (וְיִסְתַּבֵּל)” (Eccl. 12:5), from the root kcx; “I looked (מִסְתַּכֵּל) at these horns” (Dan. 7: 8), from the root סכל “And the statutes of Omri shall be observed (וְיִשְׁתַּמֵר)” (Micah 6:16), from the root שׁמר “and he who turns away from evil is considered mad (מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל)” (Isa. 59: 15), from the root of “He leads counselors away with madness (שׁוֹלָל)” (Job 12:17); “tread (מִסְתּוֹלֵל) upon My people” (Exod. 9:17), from the root of “a way that is not trodden (סְלוּלָה)” (Jer. 18:15).   מַה־נִּצְטַדָּק.  לְשׁוֹן צֶדֶק, וְכֵן כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁתְּחִלַּת יְסוֹדָהּ צָדִ"י וְהִיא בָּאָה לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן מִתְפָּעֵל אוֹ נִתְפָּעֵל, נוֹתֵן טֵי"ת בִּמְקוֹם תָּי"ו, וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתְנָהּ לִפְנֵי אוֹת רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל יְסוֹד הַתֵּבָה אֶלָּא בְאֶמְצַע אוֹתִיּוֹת הָעִקָּר, כְּגוֹן נִצְטַדָּק מִגִּזְרַת צדק, וְיִצְטַבַּע מִגִּזְרַת צבע, וַיִּצְטַיָּרוּ מִגִּזְרַת וְצִיר אֱמוּנִים, הִצְטַיַּדְנוּ מִגִּזְרַת צֵדָה לַדֶּרֶךְ. וְתֵבָה שֶׁתְּחִלָּתָהּ סָמֶ"ךְ אוֹ שִׁי"ן, כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְפָּעֶלֶת, הַתָּי"ו מַפְרֶדֶת אֶת אוֹתִיּוֹת הָעִקָּר, כְּגוֹן וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב (קהלת י"ב), מִגִּזְרַת סבל; מִשְׂתַּכַּל הֲוֵית בְּקַרְנַיָּא (דניאל ז'), וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֹת עָמְרִי (מיכה ו') מִגִּזְרַת שמר; וְסָר מֵרָע מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל (ישעיהו נ"ט), מִגִּזְרַת מוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָל (איוב י"ב), מִסְתּוֹלֵל בְּעַמִּי (שמות ט"ו), מִגִּזְרַת דֶּרֶךְ לֹא סְלוּלָה (ירמיהו י"ח):
17But he said, "Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose possession the goblet was found he shall be my slave, but as for you go up in peace to your father."   יזוַיֹּ֕אמֶר חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֔י מֵֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת זֹ֑את הָאִ֡ישׁ אֲשֶׁר֩ נִמְצָ֨א הַגָּבִ֜יעַ בְּיָד֗וֹ ה֚וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֣י עָ֔בֶד וְאַתֶּ֕ם עֲל֥וּ לְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־אֲבִיכֶֽם:
18Then Judah approached him and said, "Please, my lord, let now your servant speak something into my lord's ears, and let not your wrath be kindled against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.   יחוַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאַל־יִ֥חַר אַפְּךָ֖ בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י כָמ֖וֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה:
Then…approached him… something into my lord’s ears. Let my words enter your ears. [From Gen. Rabbah 83:6]   וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו וגומר … דָבָר בְּאָזְנֵי אֲדֹנִי.  יִכָּנְסוּ דְּבָרַי בְּאָזְנֶיךָ:
and let your wrath not be kindled. From here you learn that he spoke to him harshly.   וְאַל־יִחַר אַפְּךָ.  מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁדִּבֵּר אֵלָיו קָשׁוֹת:
for you are like Pharaoh. You are esteemed in my eyes like Pharaoh, this is its simple meaning. Its midrashic meaning is, however: You will ultimately be punished with צָרַעַת because of him, just as Pharaoh was punished because of my great-grandmother Sarah for the one night that he detained her (Gen. 12:17). Another explanation: Just as Pharaoh issues decrees and does not carry them out, makes promises and does not fulfill them, so do you. Now, is this the “setting of an eye,” concerning which you said [that you wanted] “to set your eye upon him” ? [See verse 21.] Another explanation: For like you, so is Pharaoh-if you provoke me, I will kill you and your master. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:6]   כִּי כָמוֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה.  חָשׁוּב אַתָּה בְעֵינַי כְּמֶלֶךְ, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ סוֹפְךָ לִלְקוֹת עָלָיו בְּצָרַעַת כְּמוֹ שֶׁלָּקָה פַרְעֹה עַל יְדֵי זְקֵנָתִי שָׂרָה עַל לַיְלָה אַחַת שֶׁעִכְּבָהּ (בראשית רבה). דָּבָר אַחֵר מַה פַּרְעֹה גוֹזֵר וְאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם, מַבְטִיחַ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה, אַף אַתָּה כֵן; וְכִי זוֹ הִיא שִׂימַת עַיִן שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לָשׂוּם עֵינְךָ עָלָיו? דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי כָּמוֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹה, אִם תַּקְנִיטֵנִי אֶהֱרֹג אוֹתְךָ וְאֶת אֲדוֹנֶךָ (בראשית רבה):
19My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?'   יטאֲדֹנִ֣י שָׁאַ֔ל אֶת־עֲבָדָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר הֲיֵשׁ־לָכֶ֥ם אָ֖ב אוֹ־אָֽח:
My lord asked his servants. From the beginning, you came upon us with a pretext. Why did you have to ask all these [questions]? Were we looking to [marry] your daughter, or were you looking to [marry] our sister? Nonetheless, “we said to my lord” (verse 20). We did not conceal anything. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:8]   שָׁאַל אֶת־עֲבָדָיו.  מִתְּחִלָּה בַעֲלִילָה בָאתָ עָלֵינוּ, לָמָּה הָיָה לְךָ לִשְׁאֹל כָּל אֵלֶּה? בִּתְּךָ הָיִינוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים? אוֹ אֲחוֹתֵנוּ אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ? וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא כִחַדְנוּ מִמְּךָ דָּבָר (בראשית רבה)
20And we said to my lord, 'We have an old father and a young child of his old age, and his brother is dead, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father loves him.'   כוַנֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֔י יֶשׁ־לָ֨נוּ֙ אָ֣ב זָקֵ֔ן וְיֶ֥לֶד זְקֻנִ֖ים קָטָ֑ן וְאָחִ֣יו מֵ֔ת וַיִּוָּתֵ֨ר ה֧וּא לְבַדּ֛וֹ לְאִמּ֖וֹ וְאָבִ֥יו אֲהֵבֽוֹ:
and his brother is dead. Out of fear, he made a false statement. He said [to himself], “If I tell him that he is alive, he will say, ‘Bring him to me.’” [from Gen. Rabbah 93:8]   וְאָחִיו מֵת.  מִפְּנֵי הַיִּרְאָה הָיָה מוֹצִיא דְּבַר שֶׁקֶר מִפִּיו, אָמַר אִם אוֹמַר לוֹ שֶׁהוּא קַיָּם, יֹאמַר הֲבִיאוּהוּ אֶצְלִי:
alone of his mother. From that mother, he has no other brother. [From Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel]   לְבַדּוֹ לְאִמּוֹ.  מֵאוֹתוֹ הָאֵם אֵין לוֹ עוֹד אָח:
21And you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, and I will set my eye[s] upon him.'   כאוַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ הֽוֹרִדֻ֖הוּ אֵלָ֑י וְאָשִׂ֥ימָה עֵינִ֖י עָלָֽיו:
22And we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father, for if he leaves his father, he will die.'   כבוַנֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֔י לֹֽא־יוּכַ֥ל הַנַּ֖עַר לַֽעֲזֹ֣ב אֶת־אָבִ֑יו וְעָזַ֥ב אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וָמֵֽת:
for if he leaves his father, he will die. If he leaves his father, we are worried lest he die on the way, for his mother died on the way. [after Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel]   וְעָזַב אֶת־אָבִיו וָמֵֽת.  אִם יַעֲזֹב אֶת אָבִיו, דּוֹאֲגִים אָנוּ שֶׁמָּא יָמוּת בַּדֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁהֲרֵי אִמּוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ מֵתָה:
23And you said to your servants, 'If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.'   כגוַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ אִם־לֹ֥א יֵרֵ֛ד אֲחִיכֶ֥ם הַקָּטֹ֖ן אִתְּכֶ֑ם לֹ֥א תֹֽסִפ֖וּן לִרְא֥וֹת פָּנָֽי:
24And it came to pass when we went up to your servant, my father, and we told him the words of my lord,   כדוַֽיְהִי֙ כִּ֣י עָלִ֔ינוּ אֶל־עַבְדְּךָ֖ אָבִ֑י וַנַּ֨גֶּד־ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי:
25that our father said, 'Go back, buy us a little food.'   כהוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָבִ֑ינוּ שֻׁ֖בוּ שִׁבְרוּ־לָ֥נוּ מְעַט־אֹֽכֶל:
26But we said, 'We cannot go down; [only] if our youngest brother is with us will we go down, for we cannot see the man's face if our youngest brother is not with us.'   כווַנֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לָרֶ֑דֶת אִם־יֵשׁ֩ אָחִ֨ינוּ הַקָּטֹ֤ן אִתָּ֨נוּ֙ וְיָרַ֔דְנוּ כִּי־לֹ֣א נוּכַ֗ל לִרְאוֹת֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָאִ֔ישׁ וְאָחִ֥ינוּ הַקָּטֹ֖ן אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אִתָּֽנוּ:
27And your servant, my father, said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two [children].   כזוַיֹּ֛אמֶר עַבְדְּךָ֥ אָבִ֖י אֵלֵ֑ינוּ אַתֶּ֣ם יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם כִּ֥י שְׁנַ֖יִם יָֽלְדָה־לִּ֥י אִשְׁתִּֽי:
28The one went away from me, and I said, "He has surely been torn to pieces, and I have not seen him since."   כחוַיֵּצֵ֤א הָֽאֶחָד֙ מֵֽאִתִּ֔י וָֽאֹמַ֕ר אַ֖ךְ טָרֹ֣ף טֹרָ֑ף וְלֹ֥א רְאִיתִ֖יו עַד־הֵֽנָּה:
29Now if you take this one too away from me, and misfortune befalls him, you will bring down my hoary head in misery to the grave.'   כטוּלְקַחְתֶּ֧ם גַּם־אֶת־זֶ֛ה מֵעִ֥ם פָּנַ֖י וְקָרָ֣הוּ אָס֑וֹן וְהֽוֹרַדְתֶּ֧ם אֶת־שֵֽׂיבָתִ֛י בְּרָעָ֖ה שְׁאֹֽלָה:
and misfortune befalls him. For Satan accuses at the time of danger. [From Gen. Rabbah 91:9]   וְקָרָהוּ אָסוֹן.  שֶׁהַשָּׂטָן מְקַטְרֵג בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה (בראשית רבה):
you will bring down my hoary head in misery, etc.. Now that he is with me, I comfort myself over [the loss of] his mother and over [the loss of] his brother, but if this one [too] dies, it will seem to me as if the three of them died in one day. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:8]   וְהֽוֹרַדְתֶּם אֶת־שֵֽׂיבָתִי וגו'.  עַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁהוּא אֶצְלִי, אֲנִי מִתְנַחֵם בּוֹ עַל אִמּוֹ וְעַל אָחִיו, וְאִם יָמוּת זֶה, דּוֹמֶה עָלַי שֶׁשְּׁלָשְׁתָּן מֵתוּ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד:
30And now, when I come to your servant, my father, and the boy is not with us [since] his soul is attached to his (the boy's) soul,   לוְעַתָּ֗ה כְּבֹאִי֙ אֶל־עַבְדְּךָ֣ אָבִ֔י וְהַנַּ֖עַר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ קְשׁוּרָ֥ה בְנַפְשֽׁוֹ:
31it will come to pass, when he sees that the boy is gone, he will die, and your servants will have brought down the hoary head of your servant, our father, in grief to the grave.   לאוְהָיָ֗ה כִּרְאוֹת֛וֹ כִּי־אֵ֥ין הַנַּ֖עַר וָמֵ֑ת וְהוֹרִ֨ידוּ עֲבָדֶ֜יךָ אֶת־שֵׂיבַ֨ת עַבְדְּךָ֥ אָבִ֛ינוּ בְּיָג֖וֹן שְׁאֹֽלָה:
it will come to pass, when he sees that the boy is not here, he will die. His father will die because of his calamity [of the loss of his son].   וְהָיָה כִּרְאוֹתוֹ כִּי־אֵין הַנַּעַר וָמֵת.  אָבִיו מִצָּרָתוֹ:
32For your servant assumed responsibility for the boy from my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him to you, I will have sinned against my father forever.'   לבכִּ֤י עַבְדְּךָ֙ עָרַ֣ב אֶת־הַנַּ֔עַר מֵעִ֥ם אָבִ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־לֹ֤א אֲבִיאֶ֨נּוּ֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְחָטָ֥אתִי לְאָבִ֖י כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
For your servant assumed responsibility for the boy. Now if you ask why I enter the fray more than my other brothers, [I will reply that] they are all [standing] from the outside [without commitment], while I have bound myself with a strong bond to be an outcast in both worlds. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:8]   כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת־הַנַּעַר.  וְאִם תֹּאמַר, לָמָּה אֲנִי נִכְנָס לַתִּגָּר יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁאָר אַחַי? הֵם כֻּלָּם מִבַּחוּץ וַאֲנִי נִתְקַשַּׁרְתִּי בְקֶשֶׁר חָזָק לִהְיוֹת מְנֻדֶּה בב' עוֹלָמוֹת:
33So now, please let your servant stay instead of the boy as a slave to my lord, and may the boy go up with his brothers.   לגוְעַתָּ֗ה יֵֽשֶׁב־נָ֤א עַבְדְּךָ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַנַּ֔עַר עֶ֖בֶד לַֽאדֹנִ֑י וְהַנַּ֖עַר יַ֥עַל עִם־אֶחָֽיו:
please let your servant stay. I am superior to him in all respects: in strength, in battle, and in service. [From Gen. Rabbah 93:8]   יֵֽשֶׁב־נָא עַבְדְּךָ וגו'.  לְכָל דָּבָר אֲנִי מְעֻלֶּה מִמֶּנּוּ, לִגְבוּרָה וּלְמִלְחָמָה וּלְשַׁמֵּשׁ (בראשית רבה):
34For how will I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? Let me not see the misery that will befall my father!"   לדכִּי־אֵיךְ֙ אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה אֶל־אָבִ֔י וְהַנַּ֖עַר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ אִתִּ֑י פֶּ֚ן אֶרְאֶ֣ה בָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְצָ֖א אֶת־אָבִֽי: