Genesis 43

1 And the famine was severe in the land.

In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.

2 And it came to pass, when they had consumed the grain which they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, Go again, buy us a little food.

And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again and buy us a little food.

3 And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did solemnly protest to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.

4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.

5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said to us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother.

6 And Israel said, Why dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery in that you told him you had also another brother.

7 And they said, The man asked us carefully concerning our state, and our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you?

8 And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish.

9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not to thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever.

10 For except we had delayed, surely now we had returned this second time.

If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.

11 And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.

12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; it may be it was an oversight:

And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.

13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man:

And take also your brother, and go to the man.

14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

And may my almighty God make him favourable to you; and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children.

15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and arose, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slaughter a beast, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.

And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon.

17 And the man did as Joseph commanded; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.

He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house.

18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for slaves, and our donkeys.

And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses.

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

Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door,

20 And said, O sir, we came down indeed at the first time to buy food:

They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food:

21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

And when we had bought, and come to the inn, we opened our sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks: which we have now brought again in the same weight.

22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.

23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out to them.

But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father hath given you treasure in your sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good. And he brought Simeon out to them.

24 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.

And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.

25 And they made ready the present for Joseph’s coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there.

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

Then Joseph came into his house, and they offered him the presents holding them in their hands, and they bowed down with their face to the ground.

27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?

But he, courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet living?

28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed their heads, and made obeisance.

And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him.

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to thee, my son.

And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin his brother, by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother, of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee, my son.

30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned toward his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

And he made haste because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber he wept.

31 And he washed his face, and went out, and controlled himself, and said, Set on bread.

And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.

32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, who ate with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him, apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane):

33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men wondered one at another.

They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much:

34 And he took and sent messes to them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Taking the messes which they received of him: and the greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.