Genesis 42

1 Now Jacob became aware that there was grain in Egypt. He said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”

Then saw Jacob that there was corn in Egypt, —and Jacob said to his sons, Wherefore look ye one at another?

2 He said, “See here, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us from there so we may live and not die.”

And he said, Lo I have heard that there is corn in Egypt, —Go down thither and buy corn for us from thence, that we may live and not die.

3 Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

So Joseph’s ten brethren went down, —to buy corn from the Egyptians;

4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob did not send with his brothers, for he feared that harm might come to him.

but, Benjamin, Joseph’s own brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren, —for he said, Lest there befall him any mischief.

5 The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

Thus came in the sons of Israel, to buy corn in the midst of them that came—for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 Now Joseph was the governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

Now, Joseph—he, it was, that was in power over the land, he, it was that was selling corn to all the people of the land, —so Joseph’s brethren came in, and bowed themselves down to him, with their faces to the earth.

7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke harshly with them. He said to them, “Where have you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”

And Joseph beheld his brethren and recognised them, —and made himself a stranger unto them and spake with them harsh things and said unto them—Whence have ye come in? And they said, From the land of Canaan, to buy food.

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

And Joseph recognised his brethren, —whereas they, recognised him not.

9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the undefended parts of the land.”

And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed regarding them, —so he said unto them—Spies, are, ye! to see the nakedness of the land, have ye come in!

10 They said to him, “No, my master. Your servants have come to buy food.

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

11 We are all one man's sons. We are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”

All of us, are, sons of one man, —honest men, are we: thy servants are not, spies.

12 He said to them, “No, you have come to see the undefended parts of the land.”

And he said unto him, —Nay! but, the nakedness of the land, are ye come in to see.

13 They said, “We your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. See, the youngest is this day with our father, and one brother is no longer alive.”

And they said: We, thy twelve servants, are, brethren, sons of one man in the and of Canaan, —and lo! the youngest: is with our father this day, and, the one, is not!

14 Joseph said to them, “It is what I said to you; you are spies.

And Joseph said unto them, —The very thing, that I spake unto you, saying—Spies, are, ye.

15 By this you will be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you will not leave here, unless your youngest brother comes here.

Hereby, shall ye be proved, —By the life of Pharaoh, ye shall not go forth from hence, save only by the coming in of your youngest brother hither.

16 Send one of yourselves and let him get your brother. You will remain in prison, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you.”

Send—from among you—one that he may fetch your brother, but be, ye, held as prisoners, that your words may be proved whether, truth, is with you, —and, if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely, spies, ye are.

17 He put them all in custody for three days.

So he drew them all together into ward, for three days.

18 Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God.

And Joseph said unto them on the third day, This, do and live, —God himself, do, I, revere.

19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in this prison, but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.

If ye, are, honest men, one brother of you shall be kept as a prisoner in your house of ward, —but, ye, go, take in corn for the famine of your houses;

20 Bring your youngest brother to me so your words will be verified and you will not die.” So they did so.

and your youngest brother, shall ye bring in unto me, that your words may be confirmed, and ye die not. And they did so.

21 They said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us and we would not listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”

And they said each man unto his brother—Verily guilty, we are, respecting our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul when he appealed unto us for favour and we hearkened not, —therefore, hath come in unto us this distress.

22 Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy,' but you would not listen? Now, see, his blood is required of us.”

And Reuben responded to them, saying—Spake I not unto you saying, Do not sin against the child! And ye hearkened not? His very blood, therefore lo! it is required.

23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.

But, they, knew not that Joseph was hearkening, —for, the interpreter, was between them.

24 He turned from them and wept. He returned to them and spoke to them. He took Simeon from among them and bound him before their eyes.

So he turned away from them, and wept, —then came back unto them and spake unto them, and took away from them Simeon, and bound him prisoner before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph commanded his servants to fill his brothers' bags with grain, and to put every man's money back into his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. It was done for them.

Then commanded Joseph that their bags should be filled with corn, and their silver be returned each man’s into his sack, and provision be given for the journey, —and it was done to them thus.

26 The brothers loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.

So they lifted up their corn on their asses, —and went their way, from thence.

27 As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the opening of his sack.

And the first opened his sack to give fodder to his ass at the inn, —and beheld his silver, yea there, it was in the mouth of his sack!

28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back. Look at it; it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

So he said unto his brethren My silver hath been returned, yea verily, there it is in my sack! Then went forth their heart and they turned trembling—each man unto his brother saying. What is this that God hath done to us?

29 They went to Jacob, their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them. They said,

So they came in unto Jacob their father to the land of Canaan, —and told him all that had befallen them saying:

30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us and thought that we were spies in the land.

The man that is lord of the land spake unto us harsh things, —and then delivered us up. as spies of the land.

31 We said to him, 'We are honest men. We are not spies.

And we said unto him Honest men, are, we, —we are not spies!

32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no longer alive, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'

Twelve brethren, are, we, sons of our father, —the one, is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, take grain for the famine in your houses, and go your way.

Then said the man the lord of the land unto us, Hereby, shall I get to know that honest men, ye are, —One brother of you, leave ye remaining with me, and corn for the famine of your houses, take ye and go your way;

34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. Then I will release your brother to you, and you will trade in the land.'”

And bring ye in your youngest brother unto me, So must I get to know that ye are, not spies, but are honest men: Your brother, will I give up to you, and with the land, shall ye traffic.

35 It came about as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bag of silver was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.

And it came to pass when, they, were emptying their, sacks then lo! each man’s bundle of silver, was in his sack, —and when they beheld their bundles of silver—they and their father, they were afraid,

36 Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children. Joseph is no longer alive, Simeon is gone, and you will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”

And Jacob their father said unto them, Me, have ye bereaved, —Joseph, is not, and, Simeon, is not, and Benjamin, ye would take! Against me, have happened all these things.

37 Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “You may kill my two sons if I do not bring Benjamin back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him to you again.”

Then spake Reuben unto his father saying, My two sons, shalt thou put to death, if I bring him not unto thee, —Come give him up upon my hand, and I, will restore him unto thee.

38 Jacob said, “My son will not go down with you. For his brother is dead and he alone is left. If harm comes to him on the road in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hair with sorrow to Sheol.” (Sheol h7585)

And he said, My son shall not go down with you, —For, his brother, is dead and, he alone, is left, and as surely as there befall him any mischief by the way wherein ye go, so surely shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow unto hades. (Sheol h7585)