Genesis 42

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?”

2 “Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”

5 So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan.

6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

7 And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

10 “Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food.

11 We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

12 “No,” he told them. “You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

13 But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

14 Then Joseph declared, “Just as I said, you are spies!

15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

17 So Joseph imprisoned them for three days,

18 and on the third day he said to them, “I fear God. So do this and you will live:

19 If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households.

20 Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.

21 Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

22 And Reuben responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.

24 And he turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out,

26 and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed.

27 At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack.

28 “My silver has been returned!” he said to his brothers. “It is here in my sack.” Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29 When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they described to him all that had happened to them:

30 “The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.

31 But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.

32 We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’

33 Then the man who is lord of the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go.

34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’”

35 As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed.

36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”

38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”

1 ¶ Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.

5 And the sons of Israel came to buy [corn] among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 And Joseph [was] the governor over the land, [and] he [it was] that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him [with] their faces to the earth.

7 ¶ And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye [are] spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We [are] all one man's sons; we [are] true [men], thy servants are no spies.

12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13 And they said, Thy servants [are] twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest [is] this day with our father, and one [is] not.

14 And Joseph said unto them, That [is it] that I spake unto you, saying, Ye [are] spies:

15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether [there be any] truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye [are] spies.

17 And he put them all together into ward three days.

18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; [for] I fear God:

19 If ye [be] true [men], let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

21 ¶ And they said one to another, We [are] verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood [them]; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.

26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it [was] in his sack's mouth.

28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, [it is] even in my sack: and their heart failed [them], and they were afraid, saying one to another, What [is] this [that] God hath done unto us?

29 ¶ And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

30 The man, [who is] the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

31 And we said unto him, We [are] true [men]; we are no spies:

32 We [be] twelve brethren, sons of our father; one [is] not, and the youngest [is] this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye [are] true [men]; leave one of your brethren [here] with me, and take [food for] the famine of your households, and be gone:

34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye [are] no spies, but [that] ye [are] true [men: so] will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.

35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money [was] in his sack: and when [both] they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved [of my children]: Joseph [is] not, and Simeon [is] not, and ye will take Benjamin [away]: all these things are against me.

37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

1 And when Jacob saw that corn was sold in Egypt, he said unto his sons: Why do you look around so long?

2 Behold, I hear that there is corn in Egypt: go down and buy us corn, that we may live, and not die.

3 So ten of Joseph's brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

4 But Benjamin Joseph's brother would not let Jacob go with his brethren: for he said, An accident may befall him.

5 So the children of Israel came to buy corn, and others with them: for it was dear in the land of Canaan.

6 But Joseph was the ruler of the land, and sold corn unto all the people of the land. And when his brethren came unto him, they fell down to the earth upon their faces before him.

7 And he looked upon them, and knew them; and stood strange against them, and spake hard unto them, and said unto them: Whence come ye? And they said: Out of the land of Canaan, to buy meat.

8 But though he knew them, yet knew they him not.

9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed of them, and said unto them: Ye are spies, and are come to see where the land is open.

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord; thy servants are come to buy meat.

11 We are all the sons of one man; we are upright; and thy servants have never been spies.

12 And he said unto them: Nay, but ye are come to see where the land is open.

13 And they said unto him, We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and the youngest is yet with our father; but the one is no more.

14 And Joseph said unto them: This is it that I said unto you: Ye are spies.

15 By this I will try you: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not come hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16 Send one of you to fetch your brother, and ye shall be taken captive. So will I try your words, whether ye deal in truth, or not. For if not, by the life of Pharaoh ye are spies.

17 And he kept them together three days.

18 And the third day he said unto them: If ye would live, do so: for I fear GOD.

19 If ye be upright, let one of your brethren lie bound in your prison: but go ye, bring home that which ye have bought for hunger,

20 And bring your youngest brother unto me, and I will believe your words, that ye die not. And they did so.

21 And they said among themselves: This we did unto our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hearken unto him: therefore is this tribulation come upon us.

22 And Reuben answered them, and said, Did I not tell you, saying, Sin not against the lad, and ye would not hear? Now his blood is required.

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood: for he spake unto them through an interpreter.

24 And he turned from them, and wept. And when he turned again unto them, and spake unto them, he took of them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes;

25 And Joseph commanded that they should fill their sacks with corn, and return their money, every man into his sack, and victuals for the way. And they did so unto them.

26 And they loaded their merchandise upon their asses, and departed thence.

27 And when a man had opened his sack to feed his ass in the inn, he perceived his money that was in the top of the sack.

28 And he said unto his brethren: My money is restored unto me; behold, it is in my sack. Then their hearts fell from them, and they were afraid among themselves, and said: Why hath God done this unto us?

29 And when they were come home to Jacob their father into the land of Canaan, they told him all that they had met with, saying:

30 The man that is master in the land spake hard unto us, and took us for spies of the land.

31 And when we answered him: We are honest, and have never been spies,

32 But twelve brethren the sons of our father: one is left, and the youngest is yet with our father in the land of Canaan:

33 And the LORD said unto us in the land, By this I will know whether ye are upright: leave one of your brethren with me, and take the necessaries of your house, and go;

34 And bring your youngest brother unto me, and I will know that ye are not spies, but that ye are upright: and I will give you your brother also, and ye shall go forth into the land.

35 And when they had poured out the sacks, they found every man his little bundle of money in his sack. And when they saw that they were bundles of their money, they were afraid, they and their father.

36 And Jacob their father said unto them: Ye rob me of my children: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, Benjamin will ye take away; it is all gone over me.

37 And Reuben answered his father, and said, If I bring him not again unto thee, slay my two sons: only deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him again unto thee.

38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you, because his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any accident should befall him in the way as ye go up, ye would bring my gray hairs into the pit with sorrow of heart.