Genesis 43

1 The famine was severe in the land.

But the famine prevailed 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 finished eating the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that 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 Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.

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

If, then, you send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy you food;

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 you send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger 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 you harm me, inasmuch as you told the man that you had 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 closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have you a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?

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 Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you, and our store.

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.

And I engage for him; at my hand do you require him; if I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty towards you for ever.

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

For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.

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 Israel, their father, said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of gum and honey, and frankincense, and stacte, and turpentine, and walnuts.

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 hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest perhaps it is a mistake.

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

And take your brother; and arise, go down 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 my God give you favour in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly as I have been bereaved, 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 having taken these presents, and the double money, took in their hands also Benjamin; and they 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 Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and kill beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread 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 said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph.

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, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to inform against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our asses.

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

And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house,

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

saying, We pray [you], Sir; we came down at first 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 unlade, and opened our sacks, [there was] also this money of each in his sack; we have now brought back our money by weight in our hands.

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 with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into 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 to them, [God deal] mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and I have enough of your good money. And he brought Symeon 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 he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses.

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

And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine 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 Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face to the ground.

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, How are you? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom you spoke, well? Does he yet live?

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

And they said, Your servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.

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 Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom you spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on you, 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 was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went 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 refrained 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 [bread] for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it 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 seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother.

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 they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as the portions of [the others]. And they drank and were filled with drink with him.