Genesis 43
1 Meanwhile, the famine pressed heavily on all the land.
The famine was severe in the land.
2 And having consumed the provisions that they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Return and buy us a little 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 answered: “The man himself declared to us, under the attestation of an oath, saying: ‘You will not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.’
Judah told him, “The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
4 If therefore you are willing to send him with us, we will travel together, and we will buy necessities for you.
If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5 But if you are not willing, we will not go. For the man, as we have often said, declared to us, saying: ‘You will not see my face without your youngest brother.’”
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 to them, “You have done this for my misery, in that you revealed to him that you also had another brother.”
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man that you had another brother?”
7 But they responded: “The man questioned us in order, concerning our family: whether our father lived, if we had a brother. And we answered him respectively, according to what he demanded. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother with you?’”
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 Likewise, Judah said to his father: “Send the boy with me, so that we may set out and be able to live, lest we and our little ones should die.
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 accept the boy; require him at my hand. Unless I lead him back and restore him to you, I will be guilty of a sin against you for all time.
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 If a delay had not intervened, by now we would have returned here a second time.”
For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have come back here a second time.”
11 Therefore, their father Israel said to them: “If it is necessary to do so, then do what you will. Take, in your vessels, from the best fruits of the land, and carry down gifts to the man: a little resin, and honey, and storax ointment, oil of myrrh, turpentine, 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 Also, take with you double the money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done in error.
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 But also take your brother, and go to the man.
Take also your brother. Rise and go again to the man.
14 Then may my Almighty God cause him to be pleased by you. And send your brother, whom he holds, back with you, along with this one, Benjamin. But as for me, without my children, I will be like one who is 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 Therefore, the men took the gifts, and double the money, and Benjamin. And they went down into Egypt, and they stood in the presence of 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 And when he had seen them and Benjamin together, he instructed the steward of his house, saying: “Lead the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast, because they will be eating with me at midday.”
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 He did what he had been ordered to do, and he brought the men into the house.
The steward did as Joseph said. He brought the men to Joseph's house.
18 And there, being terrified, they said one to another: “Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we have been brought in, so that he may unleash a false accusation against us, and by violence subjugate both us and our donkeys into servitude.”
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 For this reason, approaching the steward of the house at his door,
They approached the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
20 they said: “We beg you, lord, to hear us. We came down once before to buy food.
saying, “My master, we came down the first time to buy food.
21 And having bought it, when we arrived at the inn, we opened our sacks and found the money in the mouths of the sacks, which we now have carried back in the same amount.
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 But we have also brought other silver, so that we may buy those things that are necessary for us. It is not on our conscience who had placed it in our bags.”
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 But he responded: “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you the treasure in your sacks. As for the money that you gave to me, I held it as a test.” And he led 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 And having led them into the house, he brought water, and they washed their feet, and he gave fodder to their donkeys.
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 But they also prepared the gifts, until Joseph entered at midday. For they had heard that they would eat bread there.
They prepared the gifts for Joseph's coming at noon, for they had heard that they would eat there.
26 And so Joseph entered his house, and they offered him the gifts, holding them in their hands. And they reverenced prone on the ground.
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 But he, gently greeting them again, questioned them, saying: “Is your father, the old man about whom you spoke to me, in good health? Is he still 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 And they answered: “Your servant, our father, is safe; he is still alive.” And bowing, they reverenced him.
They said, “Your servant our father is well. He is still alive.” They prostrated themselves and bowed down.
29 Then Joseph, lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin, his brother of the same womb, and he said, “Is this your little brother, about whom you spoke to me?” And again, he said, “May God be compassionate 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 And he hurried out, because his heart had been moved over his brother, and tears gushed out. And going into his chamber, he wept.
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 And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he composed himself, and he said, “Set out bread.”
He washed his face and came out. He controlled himself, saying, “Serve the food.”
32 And when it was set out, separately for Joseph, and separately for his brothers, likewise separately for the Egyptians, who ate at the same time, (for it is unlawful for Egyptians to eat with Hebrews, and they consider feasting in this way to be profane)
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 state of life. And they wondered exceedingly,
The brothers sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. The men were astonished together.
34 taking the portions that they received from him. And the greater portion went to Benjamin, so much so that it exceeded five parts. And they drank and became inebriated along 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.
