Genesis 43

1 The famine was severe in the land.

But the famine prevailed 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.”

And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little 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.’

And Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.

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

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

5 but if you do not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”

but if thou send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.

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

And Israel said, Why did ye harm me, inasmuch as ye told the man that ye had a 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’?”

And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have ye a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?

8 Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.

And Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and thou, and our store.

9 I will be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I do not bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;

And I engage for him; at my hand do thou require him; if I bring him not to thee, and place him before thee, I shall be guilty toward thee for ever.

10 for if we had not delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”

For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.

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;

And Israel, their father, said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of gum and honey, and frankincense, and stacte, and turpentine, and walnuts.

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.

And take double money in your hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest peradventure it is a mistake.

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

And take your brother; and arise, go down 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.”

And my God give you favour in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly as I have been bereaved, 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.

And the men having taken these presents, and the double money, took in their hands also Benjamin; and they rose 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.”

And Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and slay beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon.

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

And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph.

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 are brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

And the men, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to inform against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our asses.

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

And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house,

20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

saying, We pray [thee], Sir; we came down at first 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.

And it came to pass, when we came to unlade, and opened our sacks, [there was] also this money of each in his sack; we have now brought back our money by weight in our hands.

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

And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into our sacks.

23 He said, “Peace be to you. Do not 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.

And he said to them, [God deal] mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and I have enough of your good money. And he brought Symeon 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.

And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses.

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

And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine 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.

And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face 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?”

And he asked them, How are ye? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom ye spoke, well? Does he yet live?

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

And they said, Thy servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.

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.”

And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom ye spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on thee, 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.

And Joseph was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.

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

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

32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians do not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

And they set on [bread] for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination 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.

And they sat before him, the first-born according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother.

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.

And they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as the portions of [the others]. And they drank and were filled with drink with him.