Genesis 43

1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.

2 So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

3 But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’

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

5 But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

6 “Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”

7 They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

8 And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.

9 I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.

10 If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

12 Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.

13 Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.

14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

15 So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”

17 The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.

18 But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

19 So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.

20 “Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.

21 But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.

22 We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

23 “It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24 And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.

25 Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.

26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

27 He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

28 “Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.

29 When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

30 Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.

31 Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”

32 They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.

33 They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.

34 When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.

1 ¶ And the famine [was] sore in the land.

2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother [be] with you.

4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

5 But if thou wilt not send [him], we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother [be] with you.

6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye [so] ill with me, [as] to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, [Is] your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, [and] also our little ones.

9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

11 ¶ And their father Israel said unto them, If [it must be] so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry [it] again in your hand; peradventure it [was] an oversight:

13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved [of my children], I am bereaved.

15 ¶ And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring [these] men home, and slay, and make ready; for [these] men shall dine with me at noon.

17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.

18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, [every] man's money [was] in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

23 And he said, Peace [be] to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave [them] water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 ¶ And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which [was] in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

27 And he asked them of [their] welfare, and said, [Is] your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? [Is] he yet alive?

28 And they answered, Thy servant our father [is] in good health, he [is] yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, [Is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought [where] to weep; and he entered into [his] chamber, and wept there.

31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that [is] an abomination unto the Egyptians.

33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.

34 And he took [and sent] messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

1 but the dearth pressed the land.

2 And when they had eaten up all the corn that they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them: Go again, and buy us a little meat.

3 Then Judah answered him, and said: And the man bound us hard, and said: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

4 If then thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for thee;

5 But if thou send him not, we will not go down. For the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, but your brother shall be with you.

6 And Israel said, Why have ye done so evil unto me, as to tell the man how ye have another brother?

7 And they answered: The man inquired so closely of us and of our friendship, saying, Is your father yet alive? Have ye also any brother? Then we told him as he asked us. How could we know just now that he would say: Bring your brother down with you?

8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Let the lad go with me, that we may arise and journey, and live, and not die, both we, and thou, and our little ones.

9 I will be surety for him; thou shalt require him at my hand. If I bring him not again unto thee, and set him before thine eyes, I will bear the iniquity all the days of my life.

10 For if we had not gone away, we should have returned twice.

11 And Israel their father said unto them: If it be so, do it, and take of the best fruits of the land into your sacks, and bring down gifts unto the man, a little balm, and honey, and spices, and myrrh, and dates, and almonds.

12 Take ye also other money with you; and the money that is returned unto you above in your sacks, bring ye also again with you. Perhaps there has been a mistake.

13 Therefore take your brother, arise, and come again to the man.

14 But may God Almighty have mercy upon you in the sight of the man, that he leave you your other brother and Benjamin. But I am like one who is deprived of his children.

15 And they took these presents and the money double with them, and Benjamin, and rose up, and went into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And Joseph saw them with Benjamin, and said unto his steward, Bring these men home, and slay, and prepare: for they shall eat with me at noon.

17 And the man did as Joseph had told him, and brought the men into Joseph's house.

18 And they were afraid when they were brought into Joseph's house, and said: We are brought in for the money which we found in our sacks aforetime, that he may bring it upon us, and execute judgment upon us, that he may take us for his own servants, and our asses with him.

19 Therefore they came to Joseph's steward, and spake unto him at the door of the house.

20 And said: My lord, we came down a little while ago to buy food.

21 And when we were come into the inn, and had opened our sacks, behold, every man's money was in the top of his sack with full weight: therefore we brought it again with us,

22 have also brought down other money with us to buy meat: but we know not who hath put our money into our sacks.

23 And he said, Be at ease, fear not. Your God and your father's God hath given you treasure in your sacks. Your money is become mine. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

24 And he brought them into Joseph's house, and gave them water to wash their feet, and fed their asses.

25 And they made ready the present until Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there.

26 And when Joseph was come into the house, they brought him home the present in their hands, and fell down to the ground before him.

27 And he greeted them kindly, and said, Is your father well, the old man, of whom ye told me? is he yet alive?

28 And they answered: Thy servant our father is well, and yet liveth. And they bowed themselves, and fell down before him.

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said: Is this your youngest brother, since you told me of him? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

30 And Joseph made haste, because his heart burned against his brother, and sought where he wept; and went into his chamber, and wept there.

31 And when he had washed his face, he went out, and held himself, and said, Put on bread.

32 And they charged him specially, and them also specially, and the Egyptians also specially that did eat with him. For the Egyptians must not eat bread with the Ebrams, for it is an abomination in their sight.

33 And they set them against him, the firstborn according to his firstborn, and the youngest according to his youth. And they wondered among themselves.

34 And they set meat before them of his table: but Benjamin had five times more than the rest. And they drank, and were drunken with him.