Genesis 43

1 The famine was severe in the land.

And the famine was sore in the land.

2 When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt [Abode of slavery], their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”

And it came to pass, when they had completely eaten up the provisions which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3 Judah [Praised] spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’

And Judah said unto him, thus, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

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

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food;

5 but if you’ll not send him, we’ll not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”

But if thou sendest him not, we will not go down; for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

6 Israel [God prevails] said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”

And Israel said, Wherefore have ye dealt so ill with me, as to tell the man that ye have yet another brother?

7 They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down?’”

And they said, The man inquired particularly concerning us, and our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we possibly know that he would say, Bring down your brother?

8 Judah [Praised] said to Israel [God prevails], his father, “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.

And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, as also our little ones.

9 I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the sin ·err (the standard goal)· forever,

I will be surety for him; from my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then shall I have sinned against thee all the days.

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

For, if we had not lingered, surely we had now returned the second time.

11 Their father, Israel [God prevails], said to them, “If it must be so, then do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;

And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this: take of the best products of the land in your vessels, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and lotus, pistachio-nuts and almonds;

12 and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

And twofold money take in your hand; and the money that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, you must carry back in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight;

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

Also your brother take along, and arise, go again unto the man.

14 May El Shaddai [God Almighty] give you rachamim ·merciful loves· before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin [Son of right hand, Son of south]. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

And may God the Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away to you your other brother, and Benjamin. And I, if I am to be bereaved, let me be bereaved.

15 The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin [Son of right hand, Son of south]; and got up, went down to Egypt [Abode of slavery], and stood before Joseph [May he add].

And the men took that present; and twofold money they took in their hand, as also Benjamin; and they rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 When Joseph [May he add] saw Benjamin [Son of right hand, Son of south] with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the superintendent of his house, Bring these men into the house, and slay, and make ready; for with me shall these men dine at noon.

17 The man did as Joseph [May he add] ordered, and the man brought the men to Joseph [May he add]’s house.

And the man did as Joseph had said; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.

18 The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph [May he add]’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house: and they said, Because of the money that came back in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, together with our asses.

19 They came near to the steward of Joseph [May he add]’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,

And they came near to the man who was appointed over Joseph's house, and they spoke with him at the door of the house.

20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

And they said, Pardon, my lord, we came down at the first time to buy food:

21 When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.

And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in its full weight; and we have brought it back in our hand.

22 We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”

And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food; we know not who hath put our money in our sacks.

23 He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon [Hearing] out to them.

And he said, Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, hath given you a treasure in your sacks; your money hath come to me. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

24 The man brought the men into Joseph [May he add]’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.

And the man brought the men into Joseph's house; and he gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.

25 They prepared the present for Joseph [May he add]’s coming at noon, for they sh'ma ·heard obeyed· that they should eat bread there.

And they made ready the present before Joseph came home at noon; for they had heard that they should eat bread there.

26 When Joseph [May he add] came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.

And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

27 He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”

And he asked them after their welfare, and said, Is your old father well, of whom ye spoke? is he yet alive?

28 They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.

And they answered, Thy servant, our father, is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and prostrated themselves.

29 He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin [Son of right hand, Son of south], his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spoke unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

30 Joseph [May he add] hurried, for in his rachamim ·bowels of compassionate merciful loves·, he yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.

And Joseph hastened away, for his affection toward his brother became enkindled, and he sought to weep; and he entered into his chamber and wept there.

31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”

And he washed his face, and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on the bread.

32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery], that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery] don’t eat bread with the Hebrews [Immigrants], for that is an abomination to the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery].

And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves; and for the Egyptians, who did eat with him, by themselves; because the Egyptians may not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with another.

And they sat before him, the first-born according to his prior birth, and the youngest according to his youth; and the men marveled one at the other.

34 He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin [Son of right hand, Son of south]’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.

And he sent portions unto them from before him; but Benjamin's portion exceeded the portions of all of them fivefold. And they drank, and were merry with him.