Genesis 43

1 The famine was severe in the land.

And the famine [is] 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.”

and it cometh to pass, when they have finished eating the corn which they brought from Egypt, that their father saith unto them, 'Turn back, buy for 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 Judah speaketh unto him, saying, 'The man protesting protested to us, saying, Ye do not see my face without your brother [being] with you;

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

if thou art sending our brother with us, we go down, and buy for 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.’”

and if thou art not sending — we do not go down, for the man said unto us, Ye do not see my face without your brother [being] with you.'

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

And Israel saith, 'Why did ye evil to me, by declaring to the man that ye had yet 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 say, 'The man asked diligently concerning us, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye a brother? and we declare to him according to the tenor of these things; do we certainly know that he will say, Bring down 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 Judah saith unto Israel his father, 'Send the youth with me, and we arise, and go, and live, and do not die, both we, and thou, and our infants.

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;

I — I am surety [for] him, from my hand thou dost require him; if I have not brought him in unto thee, and set him before thee — then I have sinned against thee all the days;

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

for if we had not lingered, surely now we had returned these two times.'

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 saith unto them, 'If so, now, this do: take of the praised thing of the land in your vessels, and take down to 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 take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

and double money take in your hand, even the money which is brought back in the mouth of your bags, ye take back in your hand, it may be it [is] an oversight.

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

'And take your brother, and rise, turn back unto 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 God Almighty give to you mercies before the man, so that he hath sent to you your other brother and Benjamin; and I, when I am bereaved — 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.

And the men take this present, double money also they have taken in their hand, and Benjamin; and they rise, and go down to Egypt, and stand 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 seeth Benjamin with them, and saith to him who [is] over his house, 'Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal, and make ready, for with me do the men eat at noon.'

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

And the man doth as Joseph hath said, and the man bringeth in 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 are afraid because they have been brought into the house of Joseph, and they say, 'For the matter of the money which was put back in our bags at the commencement are we brought in — to roll himself upon us, and to throw himself on us, and to take us for servants — our asses also.'

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

And they come nigh unto the man who [is] over the house of Joseph, and speak unto him at the opening of the house,

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

and say, 'O, my lord, we really come down at the commencement 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 cometh to pass, when we have come in unto the lodging-place, and open our bags, that lo, each one's money [is] in the mouth of his bag, our money in its weight, and we bring it back in our hand;

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 other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food; we have not known who put our money in our bags.'

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 saith, 'Peace to you, fear not: your God and the God of your father hath given to you hidden treasure in your bags, your money came unto me;' and he bringeth out Simeon unto 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 the man bringeth in the men into Joseph's house, and giveth water, and they wash their feet; and he giveth provender for their asses,

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

and they prepare the present until the coming of Joseph at noon, for they have heard that there they do eat bread.

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 cometh into the house, and they bring to him the present which [is] in their hand, into the house, and bow themselves to him, to the earth;

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 asketh of them of peace, and saith, 'Is your father well? the aged man of whom ye have spoken, is he yet alive?'

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

and they say, 'Thy servant our father [is] well, he is yet alive;' and they bow, and do obeisance.

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 he lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and saith, 'Is this your young brother, of whom ye have spoken unto me?' and he saith, 'God favour 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 hasteth, for his bowels have been moved for his brother, and he seeketh to weep, and entereth the inner chamber, and weepeth there;

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

and he washeth his face, and goeth out, and refraineth himself, and saith, 'Place 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 place for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who are eating with him by themselves: for the Egyptians are unable to 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 sit before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the young one according to his youth, and the men wonder one at another;

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 he lifteth up gifts from before him unto them, and the gift of Benjamin is five hands more than the gifts of all of them; and they drink, yea, they drink abundantly with him.