Genesis 43

1 Now the famine was severe in the land.

Now the land was in bitter need of food.

2 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."

And when the grain which they had got in Egypt was all used up, their father said to them, Go again and get us a little food.

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

And Judah said to him, The man said to us with an oath, You are not to come before me again without your brother.

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

If you will let our brother go with us, we will go down and get food:

5 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.'"

But if you will not send him, we will not go down: for the man said to us, You are not to come before me if your brother is not with you.

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

And Israel said, Why were you so cruel to me as to say to him that you had a brother?

7 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?'"

And they said, The man put a number of questions to us about ourselves and our family, saying, Is your father still living? have you another brother? And we had to give him answers; how were we to have any idea that he would say, Come back with your brother?

8 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.

Then Judah said to Israel, his father, Send the boy with me, and let us be up and going, so that we and you and our little ones may not come to destruction.

9 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,

Put him into my care and make me responsible for him: if I do not give him safely back to you, let mine be the sin for ever.

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

Truly, if we had not let the time go by, we might have come back again by now.

11 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.

Then their father Israel said to them, If it has to be so, then do this: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels to give the man, perfumes and honey and spices and nuts:

12 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.

And take twice as much money with you; that is to say, take back the money which was put in your bags, for it may have been an error;

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

And take your brother and go back to the man:

14 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."

And may God, the Ruler of all, give you mercy before the man, so that he may give you back your other brother and Benjamin. If my children are to be taken from me; there is no help for it.

15 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.

So they took what their father said for the man, and twice as much money in their hands, and Benjamin, and went on their journey to Egypt, and came before Joseph.

16 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."

And when Joseph saw Benjamin, he said to his chief servant, Take these men into my house, and make ready a meal, for they will take food with me in the middle of the day.

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

And the servant did as Joseph said, and took the men into Joseph's house.

18 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."

Now the men were full of fear because they had been taken into Joseph's house and they said, It is because of the money which was put back in our bags the first time; he is looking for something against us, so that he may come down on us and take us and our asses for his use.

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

So they went up to Joseph's chief servant at the door of the house,

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

And said, O my lord, we only came down the first time to get food;

21 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.

And when we came to our night's resting-place, on opening our bags we saw that every man's money was in the mouth of his bag, all our money in full weight: and we have it with us to give it back;

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

As well as more money, with which to get food: we have no idea who put our money in our bags.

23 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.

Then the servant said, Peace be with you: have no fear: your God, even the God of your father, has put wealth in your bags for you: I had your money. Then he let Simeon come out to them.

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

And the servant took them into Joseph's house, and gave them water for washing their feet; and he gave their asses food.

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

And they got ready the things for Joseph before he came in the middle of the day: for word was given to them that they were to have a meal there.

26 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.

And when Joseph came in, they gave him the things which they had for him, and went down to the earth before him.

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

And he said, How are you? is your father well, the old man of whom you were talking to me? is he still living?

28 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.

And they said, Your servant, our father, is well, he is still living. And they went down on their faces before him.

29 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."

Then, lifting up his eyes, he saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother's son, and he said, Is this your youngest brother of whom you gave me word? And he said, God be good to you, my son.

30 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.

Then Joseph's heart went out to his brother, and he went quickly into his room, for he was overcome with weeping.

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

Then, after washing his face, he came out, and controlling his feelings said, Put food before us.

32 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.

And they put a meal ready for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who were with him by themselves; because the Egyptians may not take food with the Hebrews, for that would make them unclean.

33 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.

And they were all given their seats before him in order of birth, from the oldest to the youngest: so that they were looking at one another in wonder.

34 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.

And Joseph sent food to them from his table, but he sent five times as much to Benjamin as to any of the others. And they took wine freely with him.