Genesis 43

1 Now the famine was severe in the land.

Meanwhile, the famine pressed heavily on all the land.

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 having consumed the provisions that they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Return and buy 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.'

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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,

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

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

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.

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 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.

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

But also take your brother, and go 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."

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

they said: “We beg you, lord, to hear us. We came down once before to buy 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 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 We have brought down additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks."

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 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.

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

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

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

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?"

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

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

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

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 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 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.

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

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.

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.