Genesis
Chapter 43
1 The food shortage was very bad in the country.
2 After they finished the grain they brought from Egypt, their father told them, “Go, buy us some more food.”
3 Judah said to him, “The man strongly warned us, ‘You won’t see me unless your brother is with you.’”
4 If you let our brother go with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5 If you won’t send him, we won’t go, because the man told us, “You won’t see me unless your brother is with you.”
6 Israel asked, “Why did you treat me badly by telling the man you have another brother?”
7 They said, the man asked us carefully about our situation and family, asking, “Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?” We answered him just as he asked. How could we know he would tell us to bring our brother?
8 Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will get up and go, so we can live and not die, both us and you, and our children too.”
9 I will guarantee his safety; you can hold me responsible. If I don’t bring him back to you, I will take the blame forever.
10 If we hadn’t waited, we would have come back again by now.
11 Israel, their father, said to them, “If it has to be this way, then do this: take some of the best produce from the land in your containers and bring the man a gift—some balm, a little honey, spices, myrrh, nuts, and almonds.”
12 Bring twice the amount of money with you, and also take back the money that was returned in your bags; maybe it was a mistake.
13 Bring your brother too, and go back to the man.
14 May God give you kindness in the man’s eyes so he will release your other brother and Benjamin. If I lose my children, then I lose them.
15 The men took the gift, brought twice the amount of money, and took Benjamin. They went to Egypt and appeared before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his house manager, “Take these men to my house, prepare a meal; they will eat with me at noon.”
17 The man did what Joseph told him to do, and he took the men into Joseph’s house.
18 The men were scared because they were taken to Joseph’s house. They thought, “We are brought here because the money we found in our bags before. He might use this as a reason to attack us, to make us his slaves, and to take our donkeys.”
19 They approached Joseph’s house manager and talked with him at the house entrance.
20 And said, “Sir, we truly came down the first time to buy food.”
21 When we arrived at the place to stay, we opened our bags and saw that each of us had our money in the top of our bag, the full amount. So we have brought it back with us.
22 We have brought more money in our hands to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our bags.
23 He said, “Peace to you, don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has put treasure in your bags. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 The man took the men to Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and fed their donkeys.
25 They prepared the gift for Joseph before he arrived at noon because they heard they would eat there.
26 When Joseph got home, they gave him the gift they had with them in the house, and they bowed down to him to the ground.
27 He asked how they were doing and said, “Is your father, the old man you talked about, doing well? Is he still alive?”
28 They replied, “Our father, your servant, is well and still alive.” They bowed their heads and showed respect.
29 He looked up, saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s child, and asked, “Is this your younger brother that you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be kind to you, my son.”
30 Joseph hurried because he felt a deep longing for his brother and looked for a place to cry. He went into his room and cried there.
31 He washed his face, went outside, held back his tears, and said, “Serve the bread.”
32 They arranged a separate table for him, another for themselves, and another for the Egyptians who ate with him; because Egyptians cannot eat with Hebrews, as it is disgusting to them.
33 They sat in front of him, the oldest by his birth order and the youngest by his age; and the men were amazed by each other.
34 He took portions from his table and sent them to them, but Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. They drank and enjoyed themselves with him.