Genesis 43

1 Meanwhile, the famine pressed heavily on all the land.

But the famine prevailed in the land.

2 And having consumed the provisions that they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Return and buy us a little food.”

And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food.

3 Judah answered: “The man himself declared to us, under the attestation of an oath, saying: ‘You will not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.’

And Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.

4 If therefore you are willing to send him with us, we will travel together, and we will buy necessities for you.

If, then, you send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy you food;

5 But if you are not willing, we will not go. For the man, as we have often said, declared to us, saying: ‘You will not see my face without your youngest brother.’”

but if you send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.

6 Israel said to them, “You have done this for my misery, in that you revealed to him that you also had another brother.”

And Israel said, Why did you harm me, inasmuch as you told the man that you had a brother?

7 But they responded: “The man questioned us in order, concerning our family: whether our father lived, if we had a brother. And we answered him respectively, according to what he demanded. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother with you?’”

And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have you a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?

8 Likewise, Judah said to his father: “Send the boy with me, so that we may set out and be able to live, lest we and our little ones should die.

And Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you, and our store.

9 I accept the boy; require him at my hand. Unless I lead him back and restore him to you, I will be guilty of a sin against you for all time.

And I engage for him; at my hand do you require him; if I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty towards you for ever.

10 If a delay had not intervened, by now we would have returned here a second time.”

For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.

11 Therefore, their father Israel said to them: “If it is necessary to do so, then do what you will. Take, in your vessels, from the best fruits of the land, and carry down gifts to the man: a little resin, and honey, and storax ointment, oil of myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.

And Israel, their father, said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of gum and honey, and frankincense, and stacte, and turpentine, and walnuts.

12 Also, take with you double the money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done in error.

And take double money in your hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest perhaps it is a mistake.

13 But also take your brother, and go to the man.

And take your brother; and arise, go down to the man.

14 Then may my Almighty God cause him to be pleased by you. And send your brother, whom he holds, back with you, along with this one, Benjamin. But as for me, without my children, I will be like one who is bereaved.”

And my God give you favour in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly as I have been bereaved, am bereaved.

15 Therefore, the men took the gifts, and double the money, and Benjamin. And they went down into Egypt, and they stood in the presence of Joseph.

And the men having taken these presents, and the double money, took in their hands also Benjamin; and they rose up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And when he had seen them and Benjamin together, he instructed the steward of his house, saying: “Lead the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast, because they will be eating with me at midday.”

And Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and kill beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon.

17 He did what he had been ordered to do, and he brought the men into the house.

And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph.

18 And there, being terrified, they said one to another: “Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we have been brought in, so that he may unleash a false accusation against us, and by violence subjugate both us and our donkeys into servitude.”

And the men, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to inform against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our asses.

19 For this reason, approaching the steward of the house at his door,

And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house,

20 they said: “We beg you, lord, to hear us. We came down once before to buy food.

saying, We pray [you], Sir; we came down at first to buy food.

21 And having bought it, when we arrived at the inn, we opened our sacks and found the money in the mouths of the sacks, which we now have carried back in the same amount.

And it came to pass, when we came to unlade, and opened our sacks, [there was] also this money of each in his sack; we have now brought back our money by weight in our hands.

22 But we have also brought other silver, so that we may buy those things that are necessary for us. It is not on our conscience who had placed it in our bags.”

And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into our sacks.

23 But he responded: “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you the treasure in your sacks. As for the money that you gave to me, I held it as a test.” And he led Simeon out to them.

And he said to them, [God deal] mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and I have enough of your good money. And he brought Symeon out to them.

24 And having led them into the house, he brought water, and they washed their feet, and he gave fodder to their donkeys.

And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses.

25 But they also prepared the gifts, until Joseph entered at midday. For they had heard that they would eat bread there.

And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine there.

26 And so Joseph entered his house, and they offered him the gifts, holding them in their hands. And they reverenced prone on the ground.

And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face to the ground.

27 But he, gently greeting them again, questioned them, saying: “Is your father, the old man about whom you spoke to me, in good health? Is he still alive?”

And he asked them, How are you? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom you spoke, well? Does he yet live?

28 And they answered: “Your servant, our father, is safe; he is still alive.” And bowing, they reverenced him.

And they said, Your servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.

29 Then Joseph, lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin, his brother of the same womb, and he said, “Is this your little brother, about whom you spoke to me?” And again, he said, “May God be compassionate to you, my son.”

And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom you spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on you, my son.

30 And he hurried out, because his heart had been moved over his brother, and tears gushed out. And going into his chamber, he wept.

And Joseph was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.

31 And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he composed himself, and he said, “Set out bread.”

And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

32 And when it was set out, separately for Joseph, and separately for his brothers, likewise separately for the Egyptians, who ate at the same time, (for it is unlawful for Egyptians to eat with Hebrews, and they consider feasting in this way to be profane)

And they set on [bread] for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination to the Egyptians.

33 they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his state of life. And they wondered exceedingly,

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother.

34 taking the portions that they received from him. And the greater portion went to Benjamin, so much so that it exceeded five parts. And they drank and became inebriated along with him.

And they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as the portions of [the others]. And they drank and were filled with drink with him.