Genesis 42

1 And Jacob having seen that there was a sale [of corn] in Egypt, said to his sons, Why are you indolent?

Now Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, so Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"

2 Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt; go down there, and buy for us a little food, that we may live, and not die.

He said, "Look, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us from there, so that we may live and not die."

3 And the ten brethren of Joseph went down to buy corn out of Egypt.

So Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4 But [Jacob] sent not Benjamin, the brother of Joseph, with his brethren; for he said, Lest, haply, disease befall him.

But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "Some harm might happen to him."

5 And the sons of Israel came to buy with those that came, for the famine was in the land of Chanaan.

So the sons of Israel went to buy among the other travelers, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 And Joseph was ruler of the land; he sold to all the people of the land. And the brethren of Joseph, having come, did reverence to him, [bowing] with the face to the ground.

Now Joseph was the ruler over the country, and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the ground.

7 And when Joseph saw his brethren, he knew them, and estranged himself from them, and spoke hard words to them; and said to them, Whence are you come? And they said, Out of the land of Chanaan, to buy food.

Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but he acted like he did not know them, and spoke harshly with them. And he said to them, "Where do you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

9 And Joseph remembered his dream, which he saw; and he said to them, You are spies; to observe the marks of the land are you come.

Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to look for the vulnerabilities of the country."

10 But they said, Nay, Sir, we your servants are come to buy food;

But they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

11 we are all sons of one man; we are peaceful, your servants are not spies.

We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants are not spies."

12 And he said to them, Nay, but you are come to observe the marks of the land.

But he said to them, "No, but you have come to look for the vulnerabilities of the country."

13 And they said, We your servants are twelve brethren, in the land of Chanaan; and, behold, the youngest is with our father today, but the other one is not.

But they said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and look, the youngest is now with our father, and one is no more."

14 And Joseph said to them, This is it that I spoke to you, saying, you are spies;

But Joseph said to them, "It is as I said to you, saying, 'You are spies.'

15 herein shall you be manifested; by the health of Pharao, you shall not depart hence, unless your younger brother come here.

This is how you will be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you will not leave from here until your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of you, and take your brother; and go you to prison, till your words be clear, whether you speak the truth or not; but, if not, by the health of Pharao, verily you are spies.

Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you will stay in prison, so that your words can be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."

17 And he put them in prison three days.

So he put all of them together in prison for three days.

18 And he said to them on the third day, This do, and you shall live, for I fear God.

Then Joseph said to them the third day, "Do what I say, and live, for I fear God.

19 If you be peaceful, let one of your brethren be detained in prison; but go you, and carry back the corn you have purchased.

If you are honest, then let one of your brothers remain confined in your prison; but you go and carry grain for the hunger of your households.

20 And bring your younger brother to me, and your words shall be believed; but, if not, you shall die. And they did so.

But bring your youngest brother to me so that your words will be verified, and you won't die." To this they agreed.

21 And each said to his brother, Yes, indeed, for we are in fault concerning our brother, when we disregarded the anguish of his soul, when he implored us, and we listened not to him; and therefore has this affliction come upon us.

Then they said to one another, "We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us, and we wouldn't listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us."

22 And Ruben answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Hurt not the boy, and you heard me not? and, behold, his blood is required.

Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, saying, 'Do not sin against the boy,' but you wouldn't listen? Therefore, look, now comes a reckoning for his blood."

23 But they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

Now they did not know that Joseph could understand them, since he was speaking through an interpreter.

24 And Joseph turned away from them, and wept; and again he came to them, and spoke to them; and he took Symeon from them, and bound him before their eyes.

He stepped away from them and wept. Then he returned to them and talked with them. Then he took Simeon from them and bound him in front of them.

25 And Joseph gave orders to fill their vessels with corn, and to return their money to each into his sack, and to give them provision for the way; and it was so done to them.

Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to restore every man's silver into his sack, and to give them food for the journey. And it was done for them.

26 And having put the corn on the asses, they departed thence.

They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.

27 And one having opened his sack to give his asses fodder, at the place where they rested, saw also his bundle of money, for it was on the mouth of his sack.

As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food at the lodging place, he saw his silver. Look, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28 And he said to his brethren, My money has been restored to me, and behold this is in my sack. And their heart was wonder-struck, and they were troubled, saying one to another, What is this that God has done to us?

He said to his brothers, "My silver has been returned. Look, it is in my sack." And they were dismayed, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

29 And they came to their father, Jacob, into the land of Chanaan, and reported to him all that had happened to them, saying,

Then they returned to their father Jacob to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying,

30 The man, the lord of the land, spoke harsh words to us, and put us in prison as spies of the land.

"The man, the lord of the country, spoke harshly to us, and he put us in custody as spies of the country.

31 And we said to him, We are men of peace, we are not spies.

But we said to him, 'We are honest men. We are not spies.

32 We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is with his father today in the land of Chanaan.

We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.'

33 And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, Herein shall I know that you are peaceful; leave one brother here with me, and having taken the corn you have purchased for your family, depart.

The man, the lord of the country, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the hunger of your households, and go your way.

34 And bring to me your younger brother; then I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are men of peace: and I will restore you your brother, and you shall trade in the land.

Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you may travel in the land.'"

35 And it came to pass as they were emptying their sacks, there was each man's bundle of money in his sack; and they and their father saw their bundles of money, and they were afraid.

Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that look, every man's bag of silver was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.

36 And their father Jacob said to them, You have bereaved me. Joseph is not, Symeon is not, and will you take Benjamin? all these things have come upon me.

Then their father Jacob said to them, "You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All this has come against me."

37 And Ruben spoke to his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to you; give him into my hand, and I will bring him back to you.

Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "Kill my two sons if I do not bring him to you. Put him in my care, and I will bring him back to you."

38 But he said, My son shall not go down with you, because his brother is dead, and he only has been left; and [suppose] it shall come to pass that he is afflicted by the way by which you go, then you shall bring down my old age with sorrow to Hades. (Sheol h7585)

But he said, "My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should happen to him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol." (Sheol h7585)