Genesis 43

1 The famine was severe in the land.

In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.

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.”

And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again and buy us a little food.

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

Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.

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

If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.

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 thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother.

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

Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery in that you told him you had also 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’?”

But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you?

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.

And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish.

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 take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever.

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

If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.

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;

Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, 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 take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.

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

And take also your brother, and go to the man.

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.”

And may my almighty God make him favourable to you; and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children.

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 the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into 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, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”

And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon.

17 The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.

He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the 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.”

And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses.

19 They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,

Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door,

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

They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before 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 had bought, and come to the inn, we opened our sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks: which we have now brought again in the same weight.

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 we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.

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.

But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father hath given you treasure in your sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good. And he brought Simeon out to 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.

And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.

25 They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread 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.

Then Joseph came into his house, and they offered him the presents holding them in their hands, and they bowed down with their face to the ground.

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

But he, courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet living?

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 health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him.

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.”

And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin his brother, by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother, of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee, my son.

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.

And he made haste because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber he wept.

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

And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.

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.

And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him, apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane):

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.

They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much:

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.

Taking the messes which they received of him: and the greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.