Genesis 43

1 But the famine, was severe in the land.

The famine was severe in the land.

2 So it came to pass when they had made an end of eating the corn which they had brought in out of Egypt, that their father said unto them, —Return buy for us a little food.

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.”

3 Then spake Judah unto him saying, —The man, did protest, to us saying—Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.

Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’

4 If thou art sending our brother with us, we will certainly go down, and buy for thee food;

If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;

5 but, if thou art not sending him, we will not go down, for the man, said unto us Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.

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.’”

6 And Israel said, Wherefore did ye ill to me, —to tell the man, there yet remained to you a brother?

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

7 And they said, The man, did ask, concerning ourselves and concerning our kindred saying—Is your father yet alive? Have ye a brother? So we told him according to the tenor of these words. Could we, at all know, that he would say, Bring down your brother?

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’?”

8 Then said Judah unto Israel his father—Come! send thou down the young man with me that we may arise and go our way, —and live and not die, both we and thou and our little ones.

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.

9 I, will be surety for him, at my hand, shalt thou require him, —as surely as I bring him not in unto thee, and set him down before thee, so surely will I be counted a sinner against thee all the days,

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;

10 For, if we had not lingered, surely now, had we come back here a second time.

for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”

11 Then Israel their father said unto them—If so, then do this, —Take of the song of the land in your vessels, and carry down to the man a present, —A little balsam and a little honey, tragacanth gum and cistus gum, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

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;

12 And double silver, take in your hand, —also the silver that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, carry ye back in your hand, peradventure it was an error,

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.

13 Your brother also, take ye, —and arise go again unto the man.

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

14 And, God Almighty, give you compassion before the man, so shall he send with you, your other brother, and Benjamin. But, as for me, when I am bereaved, I am bereaved!

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.”

15 So the men took this present, double silver also, took they in their hand and Benjamin, —and arose and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

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.

16 And Joseph saw—with them—Benjamin, so he said to him that was over his house Bring the men into the house, —and slay meat and make ready, for with me, shall the men eat at noon.

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.”

17 So the men did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house,

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

18 Then were the men afraid because they had been brought into the house of Joseph, and they said—For the matter of the silver that came back in our sacks at the beginning, have, we, been brought in, —that he may turn round upon us and fall upon us, and take us for servants and our asses.

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.”

19 So they drew near unto the man that was over Joseph’s house, —and spake unto him at the entrance of the house;

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

20 and said, May it please my lord! We, did indeed come down, at the beginning to buy food.

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

21 And it came to pass when we had entered into the inn, that we opened our sacks, and lo! the silver of each man, in the mouth of his sack, —our silver in its full weight, —so we have bought it back in our hand!

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.

22 And, more silver, have we brought down in our hand, to buy food, —we know not who put our silver in our sacks.

We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”

23 And he said—Peace to you do not fear! Your God, and the God of your father, hath given you secret treasure, in your sacks, as for your silver, it came in unto me. And he brought forth unto them Simeon.

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.

24 So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, —and gave them water and they bathed their feet, and he gave them provender for their asses.

The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.

25 And they made ready the present, against the coming in of Joseph at noon, —for they heard that it was there they should eat bread.

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

26 So when Joseph came into the house, they brought in to him the present which was in their hand into the house, —and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.

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.

27 Then asked he after their welfare, and said—Is it well with your aged father, of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”

28 And they said—It is well with thy servant our father, he is yet alive. And they bent their heads and bowed them-selves down.

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

29 Then lifted he up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother son of his mother, and said—Is, this, your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God, grant thee favour my son!

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.”

30 And Joseph made haste for his compassions towards his brother were pent up, and he sought to weep, —so he went into the inner chamber and wept there,

Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.

31 Then bathed he his face and came forth, —and restrained himself, and said Set on bread!

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

32 So they set on for him—by himself, and for them—by themselves, —and for the Egyptians that were eating with him—by themselves, for the Egyptians might not eat, bread, with the Hebrews for an abomination, had that been to Egyptians.

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.

33 So they took their seats before him, the firstborn, according to his birthright and the youngest, according to his youth, —and the men looked with amazement, each one at his companion.

They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marvelled with one another.

34 And he sent portions from before him unto them, and the portion of Benjamin exceeded the portions of them all, five-fold. And they drank and made merry with him.

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.