Genesis 43
1 Now great famine was in the land.
Now the famine was still severe in the land.
2 And when they had eaten vp the vitaile, which they had brought from Egypt, their father sayd vnto them, Turne againe, and bye vs a little foode.
So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
3 And Iudah answered him, saying, The man charged vs by an othe, saying, Neuer see my face, except your brother be with you.
But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
4 If thou wilt sende our brother with vs, we will goe downe, and bye thee foode:
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5 But if thou wilt not send him, we wil not go downe: for the man said vnto vs, Looke me not in the face, except your brother be with you.
But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
6 And Israel sayd, Wherefore delt ye so euill with me, as to tell the man, whether ye had yet a brother or no?
“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”
7 And they answered, The man asked straitly of our selues and of our kinred, saying, Is your father yet aliue? haue ye any brother? And wee tolde him according to these wordes: could we knowe certainely that he would say, Bring your brother downe?
They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”
8 Then sayde Iudah to Israel his father, Send the boy with mee, that we may rise and goe, and that we may liue and not dye, both we, and thou, and our children.
And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.
9 I wil be suertie for him: of mine hand shalt thou require him. If I bring him not to thee, and set him before thee, then let me beare the blame for euer.
I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.
10 For except we had made this tarying, doutlesse by this we had returned the second time.
If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”
11 Then their father Israel sayd vnto them, If it must needes be so now, do thus: take of the best fruites of the lande in your vessels, and bring the man a present, a little rosen, and a little hony, spices and myrrhe, nuttes, and almondes:
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.
12 And take double money in your hande, and the money, that was brought againe in your sackes mouthes: cary it againe in your hand, lest it were some ouersight.
Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13 Take also your brother and arise, and go againe to the man.
Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.
14 And God almightie giue you mercie in the sight of the man, that hee may deliuer you your other brother, and Beniamin: but I shall be robbed of my childe, as I haue bene.
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
15 Thus the men tooke this present, and tooke twise so much money in their hande with Beniamin, and rose vp, and went downe to Egypt and stoode before Ioseph.
So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 And whe Ioseph saw Beniamin with them, he sayde to his stewarde, Bring these men home and kill meate, and make ready: for the men shall eate with me at noone.
When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”
17 And the man did as Ioseph bad, and brought the men vnto Iosephs house.
The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.
18 Nowe when the men were brought into Iosephs house, they were afrayd, and sayd, Because of the money, that came in our sackes mouthes at the first time, are we brought, that hee may picke a quarrell against vs, and lay some thing to our charge, and bring vs in bondage and our asses.
But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 Therefore came they to Iosephs stewarde, and communed with him at the doore of ye house.
So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
20 And said, Oh syr, we came in deede down hither at the first time to bye foode,
“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.
21 And as wee came to an ynne and opened our sackes, behold, euery mans money was in his sackes mouth, euen our money in full weight, but we haue brought it againe in our handes.
But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.
22 Also other money haue we brought in our handes to bye foode, but we cannot tell, who put our money in our sackes.
We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”
23 And he said, Peace be vnto you, feare not: your God and the God of your father hath giuen you that treasure in your sackes, I had your money: and he brought forth Simeon to them.
“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 So the man led them into Iosephs house, and gaue them water to wash their feete, and gaue their asses prouender.
And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.
25 And they made ready their present against Ioseph came at noone, (for they heard say, that they should eate bread there)
Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
26 When Ioseph came home, they brought the present into the house to him, which was in their handes, and bowed downe to the grounde before him.
When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
27 And he asked them of their prosperitie, and sayd, Is your father the olde man, of whome ye tolde me, in good health? is he yet aliue?
He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”
28 Who answered, Thy seruant our father is in good health, he is yet aliue: and they bowed downe, and made obeysance.
“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.
29 And he lifting vp his eyes, beheld his brother Beniamin his mothers sonne, and sayde, Is this your yonger brother, of whome ye tolde me? And he said, God be merciful vnto thee, my sone.
When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 And Ioseph made haste (for his affection was inflamed towarde his brother, and sought where to weepe) and entred into his chamber, and wept there.
Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.
31 Afterward he washed his face, and came out, and refrained himselfe, and sayd, Set on meate.
Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”
32 And they prepared for him by himselfe, and for them by themselues, and for the Egyptians, which did eate with him, by themselues, because the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Ebrewes: for that was an abomination vnto the Egyptians.
They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.
33 So they sate before him: the eldest according vnto his age, and the yongest according vnto his youth. and the men marueiled among themselues.
They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
34 And they tooke meases from before him, and sent to them: but Beniamins mease was fiue times so much as any of theirs: and they drunke, and had of the best drinke with him.
When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.
