11-12. They outdid each other in putting their bags on the ground and opening them up for inspection. The steward searched their bags, going from oldest to youngest. The chalice showed up in Benjamin’s bag.
13. They ripped their clothes in despair, loaded up their donkeys, and went back to the city.
14. Joseph was still at home when Judah and his brothers got back. They threw themselves down on the ground in front of him.
15. Joseph accused them: “How can you have done this? You have to know that a man in my position would have discovered this.”
16. Judah as spokesman for the brothers said, “What can we say, master? What is there to say? How can we prove our innocence? God is behind this, exposing how bad we are. We stand guilty before you and ready to be your slaves—we’re all in this together, the rest of us as guilty as the one with the chalice.”
17. “I’d never do that to you,” said Joseph. “Only the one involved with the chalice will be my slave. The rest of you are free to go back to your father.”