Genesis 44:10

He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! ¹  The one who has it will become my slave, ²  but the rest of ³  you will go free.” ⁴ 

"Very well, then," he said, "let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame."

So he said, "Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent."

"Fair enough," the man replied, "except that only the one who stole it will be a slave. The rest of you may go free."

The steward said, "Very well then, but we won't go that far. Whoever is found with the chalice will be my slave; the rest of you can go free."

And he said, Let it be as you say: he in whose bag it is seen will become my servant; and you will not be responsible.

He said, "Even so; in accordance with your words, let it be: he with whom it is found shall become my slave, but the rest of you shall go free."

And he said, "Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless."

He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! ¹  The one who has it will become my slave, ²  but the rest of ³  you will go free.” ⁴ 

¹ tn Heb “Also now, according to your words, so it is.” As the next statement indicates, this does mean that he will do exactly as they say. He does agree with them the culprit should be punished, but not as harshly as they suggest. Furthermore, the innocent parties will not be punished.

² tn Heb “The one with whom it is found will become my slave.”

³ tn The words “the rest of” have been supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

⁴ tn The Hebrew word נָקִי (naqi) means “acquitted,” that is, free of guilt and the responsibility for it.

sn The rest of you will be free. Joseph’s purpose was to single out Benjamin to see if the brothers would abandon him as they had abandoned Joseph. He wanted to see if they had changed.