Genesis 43

1 And the famine was grievous in the land.

The famine was severe in the land.

2 And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again, buy us a little food.

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.”

3 And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did positively testify to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your brother be with you.

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

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

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

5 but if thou do not send [him], we will not go down, for the man said to us, Ye shall not see my face, unless your brother be with you.

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.’”

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

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

7 And they said, The man asked very closely after us, and after our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye a brother? And we told him according to the tenor of these words. Could we at all know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

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’?”

8 And Judah said to 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 our little ones.

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.

9 I will be surety for him: of my hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not to thee, and set him before thy face, then shall I be guilty toward thee for ever.

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;

10 For had we not lingered, we should now certainly have returned already twice.

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

11 And their father Israel said to them, If it is then so, do this: take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a gift: a little balsam and a little honey, tragacanth and ladanum, pistacia-nuts and almonds.

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;

12 And take other money in your hand, and the money that was returned to you in the mouth of your sacks, carry back in your hand: perhaps it is an oversight.

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.

13 And take your brother, and arise, go again to the man.

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

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

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.”

15 And the men took that gift, and took double money in their hand, and Benjamin, and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and came before Joseph.

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.

16 And Joseph saw Benjamin with them, and said to the [man] who was over his house, Bring the men into the house, and slaughter cattle, and make ready; for the men shall eat with me at noon.

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.”

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

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

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

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.”

19 And they came up to the man that was over Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,

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

20 and said, Ah! my lord, we came indeed down at the first to buy food.

and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down 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 according to its weight; and we have brought it again in our hand.

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.

22 And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.

We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know 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, has given you treasure in your sacks; your money came to me. And he brought Simeon out to them.

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.

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

The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.

25 And they made ready the gift for Joseph's coming at noon; for they had heard that they should eat bread there.

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

26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift that was in their hand, into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

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.

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

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

28 And they said, Thy servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And they bowed, and made obeisance.

They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.

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 spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to thee, my son!

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.”

30 And Joseph made haste, for his bowels burned for his brother; and he sought [a place] to weep, and he went into the chamber, and wept there.

Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.

31 And he washed his face, and came out, and controlled himself, and said, Set on bread.

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

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

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.

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.

They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.

34 And he had portions carried to them from before him. And Benjamin's portion was five times greater than the portions of them all. And they drank, and made merry with him.

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.