Genesis 43

1 In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.

Now the famine was severe in the land.

2 And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again and buy us a little food.

So it came about when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little more food."

3 Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.

But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man strictly warned us, saying, 'You may not see my face unless your brother is with you.'

4 If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.

If you'll send our brother with us, we'll go down and buy you food,

5 But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother.

but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You may not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"

6 Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery in that you told him you had also another brother.

Then Israel said, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?"

7 But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you?

They said, "The man kept asking about ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we just answered his questions. How were we to know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'"

8 And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish.

Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me and we'll get up and go, so that we may live and not die, both we and you, and also our little ones.

9 I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever.

I will be collateral for him. You can hold me responsible for him. If I fail to bring him to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever,

10 If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.

for if we hadn't delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now."

11 Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.

Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your bags and bring a gift for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.

12 And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.

Take twice as much silver in your hand, and take back the silver that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

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

Take your brother also, and get up, go back to the man.

14 And may my almighty God make him favourable to you; and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children.

And may El Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am deprived of my children, then I am deprived."

15 So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

The men took this gift, and they took twice as much silver with them, and Benjamin. Then they got up and went down to Egypt, and presented themselves before Joseph.

16 And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon.

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and prepare it; for the men will eat with me at noon."

17 He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house.

The man did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men to Joseph's house.

18 And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses.

But the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the silver that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are brought here; so that he may capture us, and make us slaves, and take our donkeys."

19 Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door,

So they came near to the man of Joseph's house and they spoke to him at the entrance of the house,

20 They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food:

and said, "My lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

21 And when we had bought, and come to the inn, we opened our sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks: which we have now brought again in the same weight.

But when we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and look, every man's silver was in the mouth of his sack, our silver in full weight. So we have brought it back in our hand.

22 And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.

We have brought down additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks."

23 But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father hath given you treasure in your sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good. And he brought Simeon out to them.

He said, "Peace to you. Do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24 And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.

The man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave their donkeys food.

25 But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there.

They prepared the gift for Joseph's arrival at noon, for they heard that they would eat a meal there.

26 Then Joseph came into his house, and they offered him the presents holding them in their hands, and they bowed down with their face to the ground.

When Joseph came home, they prepared the gift they had brought with them into the house, and bowed themselves down to him with their face to the ground.

27 But he, courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet living?

Then he asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

28 And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him.

And they answered, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." Then he said, "Blessed be that man by God." And they bowed and prostrated themselves.

29 And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin his brother, by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother, of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee, my son.

And he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you told me about?" Then he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."

30 And he made haste because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber he wept.

Then Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome with emotion because of his brother, and he was at the point of tears. So he entered into his chamber and wept there.

31 And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.

Then he washed his face and came out. And he controlled himself and said, "Serve the food."

32 And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him, apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane):

They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is disgraceful to the Egyptians.

33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much:

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at each other with amazement.

34 Taking the messes which they received of him: and the greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Then he gave portions to them in front of him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank until they all became drunk.