Genesis 43

1 The famine was severe in the land.

And the famine was severe in the land.

2 It came about when they had eaten the grain that they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again; buy us some food.”

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

3 Judah told him, “The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'

And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man solemnly protested to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face unless your brother be with you.

4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

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

5 But if you do not send him, we will not go down. For the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'”

but if thou will not send him, we will not go down. For the man said to us, Ye shall not see my face unless your brother be with you.

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

And Israel said, Why did ye deal so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

7 They said, “The man asked details about us and our family. He said, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We answered him according to these questions. How could we have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'”

And they said, The man asked diligently concerning ourselves, and concerning 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 in any way know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

8 Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me. We will rise and go that we may live and not die, both we, you, and also our children.

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

9 I will be a guarantee for him. You will hold me responsible. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

I will be surety for him, of my hand shall thou require him. If I do not bring him to thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever.

10 For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have come back here a second time.”

For unless we had lingered, surely we would have now returned a second time.

11 Their father Israel said to them, “If it be so, now do this. Take some of the best products of the land in your bags. Carry down to the man a gift—some balm and honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.

And their father Israel said to them, If it be so now, do this: Take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts, and almonds.

12 Take double money in your hand. The money that was returned in the opening of your sacks, carry again in your hand. Perhaps it was a mistake.

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

13 Take also your brother. Rise and go again to the man.

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

14 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my sons, I am bereaved.

15 The men took this gift, and in their hand they took double the amount of money, along with Benjamin. They got up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

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

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.”

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

17 The steward did as Joseph said. He brought the men to Joseph's house.

And the man did as Joseph bade, and the man brought the men to Joseph's house.

18 The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house. They said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we were brought in, that he may seek an opportunity against us. He might arrest us and take us as slaves, and take our donkeys.”

And the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our donkeys.

19 They approached the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,

And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,

20 saying, “My master, we came down the first time to buy food.

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

21 It came about, when we reached the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the opening of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hands.

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

22 Other money we have also brought down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”

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

23 The steward said, “Peace be to you, do not fear. Your God and the God of your father must have put your money in your sacks. I received your money.” The steward then brought Simeon out to them.

And he said, Peace be to you, fear not. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money. And he brought Simeon out to them.

24 The steward took the men into Joseph's house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave feed to their donkeys.

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

25 They prepared the gifts for Joseph's coming at noon, for they had heard that they would eat there.

And they made ready the present against Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 When Joseph came home, they brought the gifts which were in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the ground.

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

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

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

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

And they said, Thy servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

29 When he lifted up his eyes he saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and he said, “Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

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

30 Joseph hurried to go out of the room, for he was deeply moved about his brother. He sought somewhere to weep. He went to his room and wept there.

And Joseph made haste, for his heart yearned over his brother, and he sought where to weep. And he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

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

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

32 The servants served Joseph by himself and the brothers by themselves. The Egyptians there ate with him by themselves because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is detestable to the Egyptians.

And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, who ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

33 The brothers sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. The men were astonished together.

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

34 Joseph sent portions to them from the food in front of him. But Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of his brothers. They drank and were merry with him.

And he took and sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.