Genesis 42
1 And Jacob having seen that there was a sale [of corn] in Egypt, said to his sons, Why are you indolent?
Now Jacob became aware that there was grain in Egypt. He said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”
2 Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt; go down there, and buy for us a little food, that we may live, and not die.
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.”
3 And the ten brethren of Joseph went down to buy corn out of Egypt.
Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
4 But [Jacob] sent not Benjamin, the brother of Joseph, with his brethren; for he said, Lest, haply, disease befall him.
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob did not send with his brothers, for he feared that harm might come to him.
5 And the sons of Israel came to buy with those that came, for the famine was in the land of Chanaan.
The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 And Joseph was ruler of the land; he sold to all the people of the land. And the brethren of Joseph, having come, did reverence to him, [bowing] with the face to the ground.
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.
7 And when Joseph saw his brethren, he knew them, and estranged himself from them, and spoke hard words to them; and said to them, Whence are you come? And they said, Out of the land of Chanaan, to buy food.
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.”
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
9 And Joseph remembered his dream, which he saw; and he said to them, You are spies; to observe the marks of the land are you come.
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.”
10 But they said, Nay, Sir, we your servants are come to buy food;
They said to him, “No, my master. Your servants have come to buy food.
11 we are all sons of one man; we are peaceful, your servants are not spies.
We are all one man's sons. We are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”
12 And he said to them, Nay, but you are come to observe the marks of the land.
He said to them, “No, you have come to see the undefended parts of the land.”
13 And they said, We your servants are twelve brethren, in the land of Chanaan; and, behold, the youngest is with our father today, but the other one is not.
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.”
14 And Joseph said to them, This is it that I spoke to you, saying, you are spies;
Joseph said to them, “It is what I said to you; you are spies.
15 herein shall you be manifested; by the health of Pharao, you shall not depart hence, unless your younger brother come here.
By this you will be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you will not leave here, unless your youngest brother comes here.
16 Send one of you, and take your brother; and go you to prison, till your words be clear, whether you speak the truth or not; but, if not, by the health of Pharao, verily you are spies.
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.”
17 And he put them in prison three days.
He put them all in custody for three days.
18 And he said to them on the third day, This do, and you shall live, for I fear God.
Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God.
19 If you be peaceful, let one of your brethren be detained in prison; but go you, and carry back the corn you have purchased.
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.
20 And bring your younger brother to me, and your words shall be believed; but, if not, you shall die. And they did so.
Bring your youngest brother to me so your words will be verified and you will not die.” So they did so.
21 And each said to his brother, Yes, indeed, for we are in fault concerning our brother, when we disregarded the anguish of his soul, when he implored us, and we listened not to him; and therefore has this affliction come upon us.
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.”
22 And Ruben answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Hurt not the boy, and you heard me not? and, behold, his blood is required.
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.”
23 But they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.
They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.
24 And Joseph turned away from them, and wept; and again he came to them, and spoke to them; and he took Symeon from them, and bound him before their eyes.
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.
25 And Joseph gave orders to fill their vessels with corn, and to return their money to each into his sack, and to give them provision for the way; and it was so done to them.
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.
26 And having put the corn on the asses, they departed thence.
The brothers loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.
27 And one having opened his sack to give his asses fodder, at the place where they rested, saw also his bundle of money, for it was on the mouth of his sack.
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.
28 And he said to his brethren, My money has been restored to me, and behold this is in my sack. And their heart was wonder-struck, and they were troubled, saying one to another, What is this that God has done to us?
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?”
29 And they came to their father, Jacob, into the land of Chanaan, and reported to him all that had happened to them, saying,
They went to Jacob, their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them. They said,
30 The man, the lord of the land, spoke harsh words to us, and put us in prison as spies of the land.
“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us and thought that we were spies in the land.
31 And we said to him, We are men of peace, we are not spies.
We said to him, 'We are honest men. We are not spies.
32 We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is with his father today in the land of Chanaan.
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.'
33 And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, Herein shall I know that you are peaceful; leave one brother here with me, and having taken the corn you have purchased for your family, depart.
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.
34 And bring to me your younger brother; then I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are men of peace: and I will restore you your brother, and you shall trade in the land.
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.'”
35 And it came to pass as they were emptying their sacks, there was each man's bundle of money in his sack; and they and their father saw their bundles of money, and they were afraid.
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.
36 And their father Jacob said to them, You have bereaved me. Joseph is not, Symeon is not, and will you take Benjamin? all these things have come upon me.
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.”
37 And Ruben spoke to his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to you; give him into my hand, and I will bring him back to you.
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.”
38 But he said, My son shall not go down with you, because his brother is dead, and he only has been left; and [suppose] it shall come to pass that he is afflicted by the way by which you go, then you shall bring down my old age with sorrow to Hades. (Sheol h7585)
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)
