< Genesis 43 >

1 Now great famine was in the land.
But the famine prevailed 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.
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 And Iudah answered him, saying, The man charged vs by an othe, saying, Neuer see my face, except your brother be with you.
And Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.
4 If thou wilt sende our brother with vs, we will goe downe, and bye thee foode:
If, then, thou send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy thee food;
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 thou send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be 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?
And Israel said, Why did ye harm me, inasmuch as ye told the man that ye had a 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?
And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have ye a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?
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 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 thou, and our store.
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.
And I engage for him; at my hand do thou require him; if I bring him not to thee, and place him before thee, I shall be guilty toward thee for ever.
10 For except we had made this tarying, doutlesse by this we had returned the second time.
For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.
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:
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 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.
And take double money in your hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest peradventure it is a mistake.
13 Take also your brother and arise, and go againe to the man.
And take your brother; and arise, go down to the man.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 slay beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon.
17 And the man did as Ioseph bad, and brought the men vnto Iosephs house.
And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph.
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.
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 Therefore came they to Iosephs stewarde, and communed with him at the doore of ye house.
And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house,
20 And said, Oh syr, we came in deede down hither at the first time to bye foode,
saying, We pray [thee], Sir; we came down at first 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.
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 Also other money haue we brought in our handes to bye foode, but we cannot tell, who put our money in our sackes.
And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into 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.
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 So the man led them into Iosephs house, and gaue them water to wash their feete, and gaue their asses prouender.
And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses.
25 And they made ready their present against Ioseph came at noone, (for they heard say, that they should eate bread there)
And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine there.
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.
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 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?
And he asked them, How are ye? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom ye spoke, well? Does he yet live?
28 Who answered, Thy seruant our father is in good health, he is yet aliue: and they bowed downe, and made obeysance.
And they said, Thy 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 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.
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 ye spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on thee, 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.
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 Afterward he washed his face, and came out, and refrained himselfe, and sayd, Set on meate.
And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
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.
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 So they sate before him: the eldest according vnto his age, and the yongest according vnto his youth. and the men marueiled among themselues.
And they sat before him, the first-born according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother.
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.
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.

< Genesis 43 >