Γένεσις 43
1 ὁ δὲ λιμὸς ἐνίσχυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
The famine continued to be really bad in Canaan,
2 ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα συνετέλεσαν καταφαγεῖν τὸν σῖτον ὃν ἤνεγκαν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν πάλιν πορευθέντες πρίασθε ἡμῖν μικρὰ βρώματα
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 εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ Ιουδας λέγων διαμαρτυρίᾳ διαμεμαρτύρηται ἡμῖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος λέγων οὐκ ὄψεσθε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθ’ ὑμῶν ᾖ
But Judah responded, “The man was adamant when he warned us, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’
4 εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀποστέλλεις τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθ’ ἡμῶν καταβησόμεθα καὶ ἀγοράσωμέν σοι βρώματα
If you send our brother Benjamin with us then we'll go and buy food for you.
5 εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποστέλλεις τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθ’ ἡμῶν οὐ πορευσόμεθα ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος εἶπεν ἡμῖν λέγων οὐκ ὄψεσθέ μου τὸ πρόσωπον ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθ’ ὑμῶν ᾖ
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 εἶπεν δὲ Ισραηλ τί ἐκακοποιήσατέ με ἀναγγείλαντες τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ εἰ ἔστιν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός
“Why have you made things so bad for me by telling the man you had another brother?” Israel asked.
7 οἱ δὲ εἶπαν ἐρωτῶν ἐπηρώτησεν ἡμᾶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ τὴν γενεὰν ἡμῶν λέγων εἰ ἔτι ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ζῇ εἰ ἔστιν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός καὶ ἀπηγγείλαμεν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἐπερώτησιν ταύτην μὴ ᾔδειμεν εἰ ἐρεῖ ἡμῖν ἀγάγετε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν
“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 εἶπεν δὲ Ιουδας πρὸς Ισραηλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἀπόστειλον τὸ παιδάριον μετ’ ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀναστάντες πορευσόμεθα ἵνα ζῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ σὺ καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ ἡμῶν
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 ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκδέχομαι αὐτόν ἐκ χειρός μου ζήτησον αὐτόν ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγω αὐτὸν πρὸς σὲ καὶ στήσω αὐτὸν ἐναντίον σου ἡμαρτηκὼς ἔσομαι πρὸς σὲ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας
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 εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐβραδύναμεν ἤδη ἂν ὑπεστρέψαμεν δίς
Now let's go, because if we hadn't hesitated, we could have gone there and come back twice by now.”
11 εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς Ισραηλ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν εἰ οὕτως ἐστίν τοῦτο ποιήσατε λάβετε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις ὑμῶν καὶ καταγάγετε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ δῶρα τῆς ῥητίνης καὶ τοῦ μέλιτος θυμίαμα καὶ στακτὴν καὶ τερέμινθον καὶ κάρυα
“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 καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον δισσὸν λάβετε ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν ἀποστρέψατε μεθ’ ὑμῶν μήποτε ἀγνόημά ἐστιν
Take double the money that was returned to you in your sacks—maybe it was a mistake.
13 καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν λάβετε καὶ ἀναστάντες κατάβητε πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον
Take your brother and go back to the man right away.
14 ὁ δὲ θεός μου δῴη ὑμῖν χάριν ἐναντίον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἀποστείλαι τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν τὸν ἕνα καὶ τὸν Βενιαμιν ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ καθὰ ἠτέκνωμαι ἠτέκνωμαι
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 λαβόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τὰ δῶρα ταῦτα καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον διπλοῦν ἔλαβον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν Βενιαμιν καὶ ἀναστάντες κατέβησαν εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἔστησαν ἐναντίον Ιωσηφ
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 εἶδεν δὲ Ιωσηφ αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸν Βενιαμιν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμομήτριον καὶ εἶπεν τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ εἰσάγαγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ σφάξον θύματα καὶ ἑτοίμασον μετ’ ἐμοῦ γὰρ φάγονται οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἄρτους τὴν μεσημβρίαν
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 ἐποίησεν δὲ ὁ ἄνθρωπος καθὰ εἶπεν Ιωσηφ καὶ εἰσήγαγεν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ιωσηφ
The man did as Joseph ordered and took them to Joseph's house.
18 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ὅτι εἰσήχθησαν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ιωσηφ εἶπαν διὰ τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ἡμῶν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἡμεῖς εἰσαγόμεθα τοῦ συκοφαντῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐπιθέσθαι ἡμῖν τοῦ λαβεῖν ἡμᾶς εἰς παῖδας καὶ τοὺς ὄνους ἡμῶν
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 προσελθόντες δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴκου Ιωσηφ ἐλάλησαν αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ πυλῶνι τοῦ οἴκου
So they went and spoke to Joseph's household supervisor at the entrance to the house.
20 λέγοντες δεόμεθα κύριε κατέβημεν τὴν ἀρχὴν πρίασθαι βρώματα
“Please excuse us, my lord,” they said. “We came down the first time to buy food,
21 ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἤλθομεν εἰς τὸ καταλῦσαι καὶ ἠνοίξαμεν τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν καὶ τόδε τὸ ἀργύριον ἑκάστου ἐν τῷ μαρσίππῳ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀργύριον ἡμῶν ἐν σταθμῷ ἀπεστρέψαμεν νῦν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἡμῶν
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 καὶ ἀργύριον ἕτερον ἠνέγκαμεν μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἀγοράσαι βρώματα οὐκ οἴδαμεν τίς ἐνέβαλεν τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν
We've also brought more money to buy food. We've no idea who put our money in our sacks!”
23 εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς ἵλεως ὑμῖν μὴ φοβεῖσθε ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν τὸ δὲ ἀργύριον ὑμῶν εὐδοκιμοῦν ἀπέχω καὶ ἐξήγαγεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸν Συμεων
“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 καὶ ἤνεγκεν ὕδωρ νίψαι τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν καὶ ἔδωκεν χορτάσματα τοῖς ὄνοις αὐτῶν
The steward took them inside Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and supplied food for their donkeys.
25 ἡτοίμασαν δὲ τὰ δῶρα ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν Ιωσηφ μεσημβρίας ἤκουσαν γὰρ ὅτι ἐκεῖ μέλλει ἀριστᾶν
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 εἰσῆλθεν δὲ Ιωσηφ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ τὰ δῶρα ἃ εἶχον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οἶκον καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν
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 ἠρώτησεν δὲ αὐτούς πῶς ἔχετε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς εἰ ὑγιαίνει ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ πρεσβύτερος ὃν εἴπατε ἔτι ζῇ
He asked how they were, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father doing that you spoke of? Is he still alive?”
28 οἱ δὲ εἶπαν ὑγιαίνει ὁ παῖς σου ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν ἔτι ζῇ καὶ εἶπεν εὐλογητὸς ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος τῷ θεῷ καὶ κύψαντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ
“Yes, your servant our father is still alive, and is well,” they replied and bowed low in respect.
29 ἀναβλέψας δὲ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς Ιωσηφ εἶδεν Βενιαμιν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμομήτριον καὶ εἶπεν οὗτος ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος ὃν εἴπατε πρός με ἀγαγεῖν καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς ἐλεήσαι σε τέκνον
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 ἐταράχθη δὲ Ιωσηφ συνεστρέφετο γὰρ τὰ ἔντερα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐζήτει κλαῦσαι εἰσελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον ἔκλαυσεν ἐκεῖ
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 καὶ νιψάμενος τὸ πρόσωπον ἐξελθὼν ἐνεκρατεύσατο καὶ εἶπεν παράθετε ἄρτους
Then he washed his face, got his emotions under control, and went back out. “Serve the food,” he ordered.
32 καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτοῖς καθ’ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τοῖς συνδειπνοῦσιν μετ’ αὐτοῦ καθ’ ἑαυτούς οὐ γὰρ ἐδύναντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι συνεσθίειν μετὰ τῶν Εβραίων ἄρτους βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις
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 ἐκάθισαν δὲ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ὁ πρωτότοκος κατὰ τὰ πρεσβεῖα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ νεώτερος κατὰ τὴν νεότητα αὐτοῦ ἐξίσταντο δὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ
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 ἦραν δὲ μερίδας παρ’ αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτούς ἐμεγαλύνθη δὲ ἡ μερὶς Βενιαμιν παρὰ τὰς μερίδας πάντων πενταπλασίως πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων ἔπιον δὲ καὶ ἐμεθύσθησαν μετ’ αὐτοῦ
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.
