Genesis 43
1 The famine was severe in the land.
The famine continued to be really bad in Canaan,
2 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 more food.”
so once they had finished the grain they'd brought from Egypt, their father told them, “You have to go back and buy some more grain for us.”
3 Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
But Judah responded, “The man was adamant when he warned us, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’
4 If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;
If you send our brother Benjamin with us then we'll go and buy food for you.
5 but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
But if you won't send him, then we won't go, because the man was very clear, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’”
6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
“Why have you made things so bad for me by telling the man you had another brother?” Israel asked.
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’?”
“The man kept on asking direct questions about us and our family like ‘Is your father still alive?’ and ‘Do you have another brother?’” they replied. “We just answered his questions. How were we to know he'd say, ‘Bring your brother here!’?”
8 Judah said to Israel, 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.
Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy in my care, and we'll leave immediately, so that we can stay alive and not die—and that includes you and us and our children!
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 blame forever;
I promise to take care of him—I'll be personally responsible for bringing him back to you. If I don't, then I will always carry the blame!
10 for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
Now let's go, because if we hadn't hesitated, we could have gone there and come back twice by now.”
11 Their father, Israel, 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;
“If it has to be, then this is what you'll do,” Israel replied. “Take with you the best our country produces. Pack your bags with gifts for the man—balm, a little honey, spices, myrrh, pistachios, 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.
Take double the money that was returned to you in your sacks—maybe it was a mistake.
13 Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
Take your brother and go back to the man right away.
14 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
May God Almighty make the man treat you kindly so when you come before him he'll release your other brother and send Benjamin back. As for me, if I am to lose all my children, then so be it.”
15 The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
So they packed the gifts, took double the money, and set off, accompanied by Benjamin. They arrived in Egypt and went to have an audience with Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin 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.”
When Joseph saw Benjamin was with them, he told his household supervisor, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and make a meal, for they are going to eat with me at noon.”
17 The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
The man did as Joseph ordered and took them to Joseph's house.
18 The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks 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.”
They were really worried that they were being taken to Joseph's house. “It's because of the money that was put in our sacks the first time we came,” they said to each other. “That's why we're being brought in—so he can accuse us and attack us! He'll make us his slaves and take our donkeys!”
19 They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
So they went and spoke to Joseph's household supervisor at the entrance to the house.
20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
“Please excuse us, my lord,” they said. “We came down 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 when we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found our money—the exact amount—at the top of our sacks. So we've brought it back with us.
22 We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
We've also brought more money to buy food. We've no idea who 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 out to them.
“Everything's fine!” he told them. “Don't worry! Your God, the God of your father, must have given you the treasure hidden in your sacks. I got your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to meet them.
24 The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
The steward took them inside Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and supplied food for their donkeys.
25 They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
They got their gifts ready for when Joseph would come at noon, because they had found out that they were going to eat there.
26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.
When Joseph arrived at the house they gave him the gifts they had brought for him, and bowed low to the ground before him.
27 He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
He asked how they were, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father doing that you spoke of? Is he still alive?”
28 They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
“Yes, your servant our father is still alive, and is well,” they replied and bowed low in respect.
29 He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, 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.”
Then Joseph looked over at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?” he asked. “God be gracious to you, my son,” he said.
30 Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
Joseph had to run out quickly because he was becoming so emotional at seeing his brother. He looked for a place to cry, and went to his room to weep there.
31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
Then he washed his face, got his emotions under control, and went back out. “Serve the food,” he ordered.
32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
Joseph was served at a table by himself, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians were also served at another table, because Egyptians cannot eat with Hebrews because they find this repulsive.
33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marvelled with one another.
The brothers had been seated in front of him in order by age, from the firstborn, the oldest, down to the youngest, and they looked at each other in complete surprise.
34 He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
The food was served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin received five times as much as anyone else. So they ate and drank plenty with him.
