Genesis 43
1 The famine was severe in the land.
The famine was severe in the land.
2 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.”
It came about when they had eaten the grain that they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again; buy us some food.”
3 Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
Judah told him, “The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
4 If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;
If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5 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.’”
But if you do not send him, we will not go down. For the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'”
6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man that you had another brother?”
7 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’?”
They said, “The man asked details about us and our family. He said, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We answered him according to these questions. How could we have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'”
8 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.
Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me. We will rise and go that we may live and not die, both we, you, and also our children.
9 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;
I will be a guarantee for him. You will hold me responsible. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10 for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have come back here a second time.”
11 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;
Their father Israel said to them, “If it be so, now do this. Take some of the best products of the land in your bags. Carry down to the man a gift—some balm and honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
12 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.
Take double money in your hand. The money that was returned in the opening of your sacks, carry again in your hand. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13 Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
Take also your brother. Rise and go again to the man.
14 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.”
May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15 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.
The men took this gift, and in their hand they took double the amount of money, along with Benjamin. They got up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 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.”
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.”
17 The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
The steward did as Joseph said. He brought the men to Joseph's house.
18 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.”
The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house. They said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we were brought in, that he may seek an opportunity against us. He might arrest us and take us as slaves, and take our donkeys.”
19 They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
They approached the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
saying, “My master, we came down the first time to buy food.
21 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.
It came about, when we reached the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the opening of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hands.
22 We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
Other money we have also brought down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 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.
The steward said, “Peace be to you, do not fear. Your God and the God of your father must have put your money in your sacks. I received your money.” The steward then brought Simeon out to them.
24 The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
The steward took the men into Joseph's house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave feed to their donkeys.
25 They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
They prepared the gifts for Joseph's coming at noon, for they had heard that they would eat there.
26 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.
When Joseph came home, they brought the gifts which were in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the ground.
27 He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
He asked them about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
28 They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
They said, “Your servant our father is well. He is still alive.” They prostrated themselves and bowed down.
29 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.”
When he lifted up his eyes he saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and he said, “Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
Joseph hurried to go out of the room, for he was deeply moved about his brother. He sought somewhere to weep. He went to his room and wept there.
31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
He washed his face and came out. He controlled himself, saying, “Serve the food.”
32 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.
The servants served Joseph by himself and the brothers by themselves. The Egyptians there ate with him by themselves because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is detestable to the Egyptians.
33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.
The brothers sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. The men were astonished together.
34 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.
Joseph sent portions to them from the food in front of him. But Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of his brothers. They drank and were merry with him.
