The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from? ” he asked. “From the land of Canaan to buy food,” they replied. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land.” “No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said. “We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies.” “No,” he said to them. “You have come to see the weakness of the land.” But they replied, “We, your servants, were twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living.” Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken: ‘You are spies! ’ This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one from among you to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies! ” So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, “I fear God #— #do this and you will live. If you are honest, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain to relieve the hunger of your households. Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won’t die.” And they consented to this. Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.”
Read Genesis 42
Listen to Genesis 42
Share
Compare All Versions: Genesis 42:5-21
4 Days
Life is hard, but events like war, famine, and pandemics are extra scary. It may seem like no one is strong, but God is always willing and able to take care of those who come to Him. In this Study, you'll read about Joseph, a man who faced such challenges and made mistakes, but learned to run to God and found Peace. You’re never alone.
5 days
The Essential 100® Bible Challenge is a simple tool to read through the Big Story of God's Word. The reading plan is based on 50 Old Testament and 50 New Testament passages. Continue with the third part "The Story of Joseph." ®Produced by American Bible Society in partnership with Scripture Union, Inc.
5 Days
Sometimes the Old Testament can be confusing to understand, but it’s packed with stories full of applicable wisdom. In this 5-day Plan, we’ll dive into stories from the Old Testament—some more well-known than others—and find new insights that will challenge us and build our faith.
From beginning to end, the message of the Bible is one of rescue. Unable to rescue ourselves from separation with God, the Father sent His only Son to pay the price for our sin, securing eternal life with Him for everyone who believes. Join us for Five Bible Stories of Redemption.
Save verses, read offline, watch teaching clips, and more!
Home
Bible
Plans
Videos