Genesis 43
1 But the famine, was severe in the land.
Now the famine was still severe in the land.
2 So it came to pass when they had made an end of eating the corn which they had brought in out of Egypt, that their father said unto them, —Return buy for us a little food.
So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
3 Then spake Judah unto him saying, —The man, did protest, to us saying—Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.
But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
4 If thou art sending our brother with us, we will certainly go down, and buy for thee food;
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5 but, if thou art not sending him, we will not go down, for the man, said unto us Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.
But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
6 And Israel said, Wherefore did ye ill to me, —to tell the man, there yet remained to you a brother?
“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”
7 And they said, The man, did ask, concerning ourselves and concerning our kindred saying—Is your father yet alive? Have ye a brother? So we told him according to the tenor of these words. Could we, at all know, that he would say, Bring down your brother?
They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”
8 Then said Judah unto Israel his father—Come! send thou down the young man with me that we may arise and go our way, —and live and not die, both we and thou and our little ones.
And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.
9 I, will be surety for him, at my hand, shalt thou require him, —as surely as I bring him not in unto thee, and set him down before thee, so surely will I be counted a sinner against thee all the days,
I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.
10 For, if we had not lingered, surely now, had we come back here a second time.
If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”
11 Then Israel their father said unto them—If so, then do this, —Take of the song of the land in your vessels, and carry down to the man a present, —A little balsam and a little honey, tragacanth gum and cistus gum, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.
12 And double silver, take in your hand, —also the silver that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, carry ye back in your hand, peradventure it was an error,
Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13 Your brother also, take ye, —and arise go again unto the man.
Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.
14 And, God Almighty, give you compassion before the man, so shall he send with you, your other brother, and Benjamin. But, as for me, when I am bereaved, I am bereaved!
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
15 So the men took this present, double silver also, took they in their hand and Benjamin, —and arose and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 And Joseph saw—with them—Benjamin, so he said to him that was over his house Bring the men into the house, —and slay meat and make ready, for with me, shall the men eat at noon.
When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”
17 So the men did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house,
The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.
18 Then were the men afraid because they had been brought into the house of Joseph, and they said—For the matter of the silver that came back in our sacks at the beginning, have, we, been brought in, —that he may turn round upon us and fall upon us, and take us for servants and our asses.
But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 So they drew near unto the man that was over Joseph’s house, —and spake unto him at the entrance of the house;
So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
20 and said, May it please my lord! We, did indeed come down, at the beginning to buy food.
“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.
21 And it came to pass when we had entered into the inn, that we opened our sacks, and lo! the silver of each man, in the mouth of his sack, —our silver in its full weight, —so we have bought it back in our hand!
But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.
22 And, more silver, have we brought down in our hand, to buy food, —we know not who put our silver in our sacks.
We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”
23 And he said—Peace to you do not fear! Your God, and the God of your father, hath given you secret treasure, in your sacks, as for your silver, it came in unto me. And he brought forth unto them Simeon.
“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, —and gave them water and they bathed their feet, and he gave them provender for their asses.
And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.
25 And they made ready the present, against the coming in of Joseph at noon, —for they heard that it was there they should eat bread.
Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
26 So when Joseph came into the house, they brought in to him the present which was in their hand into the house, —and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.
When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
27 Then asked he after their welfare, and said—Is it well with your aged father, of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”
28 And they said—It is well with thy servant our father, he is yet alive. And they bent their heads and bowed them-selves down.
“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.
29 Then lifted he up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother son of his mother, and said—Is, this, your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God, grant thee favour my son!
When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 And Joseph made haste for his compassions towards his brother were pent up, and he sought to weep, —so he went into the inner chamber and wept there,
Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.
31 Then bathed he his face and came forth, —and restrained himself, and said Set on bread!
Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”
32 So they set on for him—by himself, and for them—by themselves, —and for the Egyptians that were eating with him—by themselves, for the Egyptians might not eat, bread, with the Hebrews for an abomination, had that been to Egyptians.
They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.
33 So they took their seats before him, the firstborn, according to his birthright and the youngest, according to his youth, —and the men looked with amazement, each one at his companion.
They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
34 And he sent portions from before him unto them, and the portion of Benjamin exceeded the portions of them all, five-fold. And they drank and made merry with him.
When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.
