Genesis 42

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

Then Jacob, hearing that food was being sold in Egypt, said to his sons: “Why are you negligent?

2 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."

I have heard that wheat is being sold in Egypt. Go down and buy necessities for us, so that we may be able to live, and not be consumed by destitution.”

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

And so, when ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain in Egypt,

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

Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brothers, “Lest perhaps he may suffer harm on the journey.”

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

And they entered into the land of Egypt with the others who traveled to buy. For the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 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.

And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and grain was sold under his direction to the people. And when his brothers had reverenced him

7 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."

and he had recognized them, he spoke harshly, as if to foreigners, questioning them: “Where did you come from?” And they responded, “From the land of Canaan, to buy necessary provisions.”

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

And although he knew his brothers, he was not known by them.

9 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."

And remembering the dreams, which he had seen in another time, he said to them: “You are scouts. You have come in order to see which parts of the land are weaker.”

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

And they said: “It is not so, my lord. But your servants have arrived in order to buy food.

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

We are all sons of one man. We have come in peace, nor do any of your subjects devise evil.”

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

And he answered them: “It is otherwise. You have come to examine the unguarded parts of this land.”

13 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."

But they said: “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father; the other is not living.”

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

He said: “This is just as I have said. You are scouts.

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

I will now continue to put you to the test. By the health of Pharaoh, you will not depart from here, until your youngest brother arrives.

16 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."

Send one of you and bring him. But you will be in chains, until what you have said is proven to be either true or false. Otherwise, by the health of Pharaoh, you are scouts.”

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

Therefore, he delivered them into custody for three days.

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

Then, on the third day, he brought them out of prison, and he said: “Do as I have said, and you will live. For I fear God.

19 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.

If you are peaceful, let one of your brothers be bound in prison. Then you may go away and carry the grain that you have bought to your houses.

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

And bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may be able to test your words, and you may not die.” They did as he had said,

21 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."

and they spoke to one another: “We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he begged us and we would not listen. For that reason, this tribulation has come upon us.”

22 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."

And Reuben, one of them, said: “Did not I say to you, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ and you would not listen to me? See, his blood is exacted.”

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

But they did not know that Joseph understood, because he was speaking to them through an interpreter.

24 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.

And he turned himself away briefly and wept. And returning, he spoke to them.

25 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.

And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he ordered his ministers to fill their sacks with wheat, and to replace each one’s money in their sacks, and to give them, in addition, provisions for the way. And they did so.

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

Then, having loaded their donkeys with the grain, they set out.

27 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.

And one of them, opening a sack to give his beast of burden fodder at the inn, looked upon the money at the sack’s mouth,

28 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?"

and he said to his brothers: “My money has returned to me. See, it is held in the sack.” And they were astonished and troubled, and they said to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”

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

And they went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, and they explained to him all the things that had befallen them, saying:

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

“The lord of the land spoke harshly to us, and he considered us to be scouts of the province.

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

And we answered him: ‘We are peaceful, and we do not intend any treachery.

32 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.'

We are twelve brothers conceived of one father. One is not living; the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan.’

33 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.

And he said to us: ‘Thus will I prove that you are peaceful. Release one of your brothers to me, and take necessary provisions for your houses, and go away,

34 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.'"

and bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may know that you are not scouts. And this one, who is held in chains, you may be able to receive again. And thereafter, you shall have permission to buy what you want.’”

35 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.

Having said this, when they poured out their grain, each found his money tied to the mouth of his sack. And all were terrified together.

36 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."

Their father Jacob said, “You have caused me to be without children. Joseph is not living, Simeon is held in chains, and Benjamin you would carry away. All these evils have fallen back upon me.”

37 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."

And Reuben answered him, “Put my two sons to death, if I do not lead him back to you. Deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to you.”

38 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)

But he said: “My son will not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any adversity will befall him in the land to which you travel, you would lead my grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave.” (Sheol h7585)