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?"

And Jacob hearing that food was sold in Egypt, said to his sons: Why are ye careless?

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 sold in Egypt: go ye down, and buy us necessaries, that we may live, and not be consumed with want.

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

So the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in Egypt:

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

Whilst Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brethren: Lest perhaps he take any harm in 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 others that went to buy. For the famine was in the land of Chanaan.

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 corn was sold by his direction to the people. And when his brethren had bowed down to 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 knew them, he spoke as it were to strangers somewhat roughly, asking them: Whence came you? They answered: From the land of Chanaan, to buy necessaries of life.

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

And though he knew his brethren, 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 formerly he had dreamed, he said to them: You are spies. You are come to view the weaker parts of the land.

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

But they said: It is not so, my lord, but thy servants are come to buy food.

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

We are all the sons of one man: we are come as peaceable men, neither do thy servants go about any 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 are come to consider the unfenced 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 thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Chanaan: 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 saith: This is it that I said: You are spies.

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 shall now presently try what you are: by the health of Pharao you shall not depart hence, until your youngest brother come.

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 to fetch him: and you shall be in prison, till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies.

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

So he put them in prison three days.

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

And the third day he brought them out of prison, and said: Do as I have said, and you shall 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 be peaceable men, let one of your brethren be bound in prison: and go ye your ways and carry the corn that you have bought, unto 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, that I may find your words to be true, 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 talked one to another: We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this affliction 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 Ruben one of them, said: Did not I say to you: Do not sin against the boy: and you would not hear me? Behold his blood is required.

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

And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by 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 a little while, 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 commanded his servants to fill their sacks with wheat, and to put every man’s money again in their sacks, and to give them besides provisions for the way: and they did so.

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

But they having loaded their asses with the corn, went their way.

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 his sack, to give his beast provender in the inn, saw the money in 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 said to his brethren: My money is given me again, behold it is in the sack. And they were astonished, and troubled, and said to one another: What is this that God hath done unto 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 came to Jacob their father in the land of Chanaan, and they told him all 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 roughly to us, and took us to be spies of the country.

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

And we answered him: We are peaceable men, and we mean no plot.

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 brethren born of one father: one is not living, the youngest is with our father in the land of Chanaan.

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: Hereby shall I know that you are peaceable men: Leave one of your brethren with me, and take ye necessary provision for your houses, and go your ways.

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, that I may know you are not spies: and you may receive this man again, that is kept in prison: and afterwards may have leave to buy what you will.

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.

When they had told this, they poured out their corn and every man found his money tied in the mouth of his sack: and all being astonished 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 made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen 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 Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons if I bring him not again to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to thee.

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 shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell. (Sheol h7585)