Genesis 43
1 Meanwhile, the famine pressed heavily on all the land.
And the famine [is] severe 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 cometh to pass, when they have finished eating the corn which they brought from Egypt, that their father saith unto them, 'Turn back, buy for 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 Judah speaketh unto him, saying, 'The man protesting protested to us, saying, Ye do not see my face without your brother [being] 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 thou art sending our brother with us, we go down, and buy for thee 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.’”
and if thou art not sending — we do not go down, for the man said unto us, Ye do not see my face without your brother [being] 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 saith, 'Why did ye evil to me, by declaring to the man that ye had yet 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 say, 'The man asked diligently concerning us, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye a brother? and we declare to him according to the tenor of these things; do we certainly know that he will say, Bring down 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 Judah saith unto Israel his father, 'Send the youth with me, and we arise, and go, and live, and do not die, both we, and thou, and our infants.
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.
I — I am surety [for] him, from my hand thou dost require him; if I have not brought him in unto thee, and set him before thee — then I have sinned against thee all the days;
10 If a delay had not intervened, by now we would have returned here a second time.”
for if we had not lingered, surely now we had returned these two times.'
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 saith unto them, 'If so, now, this do: take of the praised thing of the land in your vessels, and take down to the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds;
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 double money take in your hand, even the money which is brought back in the mouth of your bags, ye take back in your hand, it may be it [is] an oversight.
13 But also take your brother, and go to the man.
'And take your brother, and rise, turn back unto 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 God Almighty give to you mercies before the man, so that he hath sent to you your other brother and Benjamin; and I, when I am bereaved — I 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 take this present, double money also they have taken in their hand, and Benjamin; and they rise, and go down to Egypt, and stand 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 seeth Benjamin with them, and saith to him who [is] over his house, 'Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal, and make ready, for with me do the men eat at noon.'
17 He did what he had been ordered to do, and he brought the men into the house.
And the man doth as Joseph hath said, and the man bringeth in 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 are afraid because they have been brought into the house of Joseph, and they say, 'For the matter of the money which was put back in our bags at the commencement are we brought in — to roll himself upon us, and to throw himself on us, and to take us for servants — our asses also.'
19 For this reason, approaching the steward of the house at his door,
And they come nigh unto the man who [is] over the house of Joseph, and speak unto him at the opening of the house,
20 they said: “We beg you, lord, to hear us. We came down once before to buy food.
and say, 'O, my lord, we really come down at the commencement 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 cometh to pass, when we have come in unto the lodging-place, and open our bags, that lo, each one's money [is] in the mouth of his bag, our money in its weight, and we bring it back in our hand;
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 other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food; we have not known who put our money in our bags.'
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 saith, 'Peace to you, fear not: your God and the God of your father hath given to you hidden treasure in your bags, your money came unto me;' and he bringeth out Simeon unto 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 the man bringeth in the men into Joseph's house, and giveth water, and they wash their feet; and he giveth provender for 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 prepare the present until the coming of Joseph at noon, for they have heard that there they do eat bread.
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 cometh into the house, and they bring to him the present which [is] in their hand, into the house, and bow themselves to him, to the earth;
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 asketh of them of peace, and saith, 'Is your father well? the aged man of whom ye have spoken, is he yet alive?'
28 And they answered: “Your servant, our father, is safe; he is still alive.” And bowing, they reverenced him.
and they say, 'Thy servant our father [is] well, he is yet alive;' and they bow, and do obeisance.
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 he lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and saith, 'Is this your young brother, of whom ye have spoken unto me?' and he saith, 'God favour thee, 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 hasteth, for his bowels have been moved for his brother, and he seeketh to weep, and entereth the inner chamber, and weepeth there;
31 And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he composed himself, and he said, “Set out bread.”
and he washeth his face, and goeth out, and refraineth himself, and saith, 'Place 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 place for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who are eating with him by themselves: for the Egyptians are unable to 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 sit before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the young one according to his youth, and the men wonder one at another;
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 he lifteth up gifts from before him unto them, and the gift of Benjamin is five hands more than the gifts of all of them; and they drink, yea, they drink abundantly with him.
