Genesis 43

1 The famine was severe in the land.

Now the famine was 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.”

So it came about when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little more 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.’

But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man strictly warned us, saying, 'You may not see my face unless your brother is with you.'

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

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

5 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.’”

but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You may not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"

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

Then Israel said, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another 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’?”

They said, "The man kept asking about ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we just answered his questions. How were we to know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'"

8 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.

Then Judah said to his father Israel, "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’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;

I will be collateral for him. You can hold me responsible for him. If I fail to bring him to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever,

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

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

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;

Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your bags and bring a gift for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio 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.

Take twice as much silver in your hand, and take back the silver that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

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

Take your brother also, and get up, go back to 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 may El Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am deprived of my children, then I am deprived."

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.

The men took this gift, and they took twice as much silver with them, and Benjamin. Then they got up and went down to Egypt, and presented themselves 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.”

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and prepare it; for the men will eat with me at noon."

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

The man did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men to Joseph's house.

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’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

But the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the silver that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are brought here; so that he may capture us, and make us slaves, and take our donkeys."

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

So they came near to the man of Joseph's house and they spoke to him at the entrance of the house,

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

and said, "My lord, we indeed came down the first time 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.

But when we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and look, every man's silver was in the mouth of his sack, our silver in full weight. So we have brought it back in our hand.

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

We have brought down additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks."

23 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.

He said, "Peace to you. Do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to 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.

The man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave their donkeys food.

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

They prepared the gift for Joseph's arrival at noon, for they heard that they would eat a meal there.

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.

When Joseph came home, they prepared the gift they had brought with them into the house, and bowed themselves down to him with their face to the ground.

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

Then he asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

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

And they answered, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." Then he said, "Blessed be that man by God." And they bowed and prostrated themselves.

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 looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you told me about?" Then he said, "God be gracious to you, 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.

Then Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome with emotion because of his brother, and he was at the point of tears. So he entered into his chamber and wept there.

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

Then he washed his face and came out. And he controlled himself and said, "Serve the food."

32 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.

They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is disgraceful 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 sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at each other with amazement.

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.

Then he gave portions to them in front of him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank until they all became drunk.