« | Genesis 44 | » |
1 When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to his palace manager: "Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man's money back into his sack.
2 Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother's sack, along with the money for his grain." So the manager did as Joseph instructed him.
3 The brothers were up at dawn and were sent on their journey with their loaded donkeys.
4 But when they had gone only a short distance and were barely out of the city, Joseph said to his palace manager, "Chase after them and stop them. When you catch up with them, ask them, 'Why have you repaid my kindness with such evil?
5 Why have you stolen my master's silver cup, which he uses to predict the future? What a wicked thing you have done!' "
6 When the palace manager caught up with the men, he spoke to them as he had been instructed.
7 "What are you talking about?" the brothers responded. "We are your servants and would never do such a thing!
8 Didn't we return the money we found in our sacks? We brought it back all the way from the land of Canaan. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house?
9 If you find his cup with any one of us, let that man die. And all the rest of us, my lord, will be your slaves."
10 "That's fair," the man replied. "But only the one who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go free."
11 They all quickly took their sacks from the backs of their donkeys and opened them.
12 The palace manager searched the brothers' sacks, from the oldest to the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack!
13 When the brothers saw this, they tore their clothing in despair. Then they loaded their donkeys again and returned to the city.
14 Joseph was still in his palace when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him.
15 "What have you done?" Joseph demanded. "Don't you know that a man like me can predict the future?"
16 Judah answered, "Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we explain this? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves-- all of us, not just our brother who had your cup in his sack."
17 "No," Joseph said. "I would never do such a thing! Only the man who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go back to your father in peace."
18 Then Judah stepped forward and said, "Please, my lord, let your servant say just one word to you. Please, do not be angry with me, even though you are as powerful as Pharaoh himself.
19 "My lord, previously you asked us, your servants, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'
20 And we responded, 'Yes, my lord, we have a father who is an old man, and his youngest son is a child of his old age. His full brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him very much.'
21 "And you said to us, 'Bring him here so I can see him with my own eyes.'
22 But we said to you, 'My lord, the boy cannot leave his father, for his father would die.'
23 But you told us, 'Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you will never see my face again.'
24 "So we returned to your servant, our father, and told him what you had said.
25 Later, when he said, 'Go back again and buy us more food,'
26 we replied, 'We can't go unless you let our youngest brother go with us. We'll never get to see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'
27 "Then my father said to us, 'As you know, my wife had two sons,
28 and one of them went away and never returned. Doubtless he was torn to pieces by some wild animal. I have never seen him since.
29 Now if you take his brother away from me, and any harm comes to him, you will send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave. '
30 "And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father's life is bound up in the boy's life.
31 If he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We, your servants, will indeed be responsible for sending that grieving, white-haired man to his grave.
32 My lord, I guaranteed to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, 'If I don't bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever.'
33 "So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.
34 For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn't bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!"
The New Living Translation (NLT)
The New Living Translation (NLT) is a modern English translation of the Bible that aims to make the Scriptures accessible and engaging for contemporary readers. First published in 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers, the NLT was conceived as an effort to create a translation that combines both accuracy and readability. Unlike many other translations that focus on a word-for-word rendering of the original texts, the NLT employs a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, also known as dynamic equivalence. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and message of the original texts in a way that is natural and understandable in modern English.
One of the defining features of the NLT is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators, a team of over 90 evangelical scholars, aimed to create a text that would be approachable for a wide audience, including those who may find traditional translations challenging to read. The NLT’s language is contemporary and conversational, making it particularly effective for public reading, teaching, and personal study. This emphasis on readability helps ensure that the profound messages of the Bible are easily grasped and retained by readers from various backgrounds and levels of biblical knowledge.
The NLT also incorporates a rich array of study aids designed to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These include book introductions, footnotes, cross-references, and explanatory notes that provide historical, cultural, and theological context. These features are particularly useful for readers who seek a deeper comprehension of the Scriptures and their application to modern life. The translation also includes clear and concise headings that help guide readers through the narrative and thematic structure of each book, making it easier to follow and comprehend the overall message.
Despite its many strengths, the New Living Translation has faced some criticism, particularly from those who favor more literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach, while making the text more readable, can sometimes result in a loss of the precise nuances and literary qualities of the original languages. Some scholars believe that certain theological concepts might be oversimplified in the process of making the text more accessible. Nevertheless, the NLT remains one of the most popular and widely used translations today, valued for its readability, clarity, and ability to convey the timeless truths of the Bible in a way that resonates with contemporary readers.