Genesis 43

1 Now great famine was in the land.

Meanwhile, the famine pressed heavily on all 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 having consumed the provisions that they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Return and 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.

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.’

4 If thou wilt sende our brother with vs, we will goe downe, and bye thee foode:

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

6 And Israel sayd, Wherefore delt ye so euill with me, as to tell the man, whether ye had yet a brother or no?

Israel said to them, “You have done this for my misery, in that you revealed to him that you also 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?

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?’”

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.

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.

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 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.

10 For except we had made this tarying, doutlesse by this we had returned the second time.

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

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:

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.

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.

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

13 Take also your brother and arise, and go againe to the man.

But also take your brother, and go 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.

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.”

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.

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.

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 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.”

17 And the man did as Ioseph bad, and brought the men vnto Iosephs house.

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

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.”

19 Therefore came they to Iosephs stewarde, and communed with him at the doore of ye house.

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

20 And said, Oh syr, we came in deede down hither at the first time to bye foode,

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

22 Also other money haue we brought in our handes to bye foode, but we cannot tell, who put our money in our sackes.

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.”

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.

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.

24 So the man led them into Iosephs house, and gaue them water to wash their feete, and gaue their asses prouender.

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

25 And they made ready their present against Ioseph came at noone, (for they heard say, that they should eate bread there)

But they also prepared the gifts, until Joseph entered at midday. For they had heard that they would eat bread 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 so Joseph entered his house, and they offered him the gifts, holding them in their hands. And they reverenced prone on 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?

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?”

28 Who answered, Thy seruant our father is in good health, he is yet aliue: and they bowed downe, and made obeysance.

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

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.”

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

31 Afterward he washed his face, and came out, and refrained himselfe, and sayd, Set on meate.

And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he composed himself, and he said, “Set out 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 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)

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

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.

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.