Genesis 43
43
Jacob [Israel] Sends Ten Sons Back to Egypt
1The famine was severe in the land. 2When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, Israel said to his sons, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
3Judah said to him, “The man gave us a severe warning: ‘You won’t be allowed to see me again unless your brother is with you.’ 4If you let our brother go with us, we’ll go and buy food for you. 5If you won’t let him go, we won’t go. The man said to us, ‘You won’t be allowed to see me again unless your brother is with you.’ ”
6Israel asked, “Why have you made trouble for me by telling the man you had another brother?”
7They answered, “The man kept asking about us and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How could we possibly know he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”
8Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy along with me. Let’s get going so that we won’t starve to death. 9I guarantee that he will come back. You can hold me responsible for him. If I don’t bring him back to you and place him here in front of you, you can blame me the rest of my life. 10If we hadn’t waited so long, we could have made this trip twice by now.”
11Then their father Israel said to them, “If that’s the way it has to be, then take the man a gift. Put some of the best products of the land in your bags. Take a little balm, a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12Take twice as much money with you. You must return the money that was put back in your sacks. Maybe it was a mistake. 13Take your brother, and go back to the man. 14May God Almighty make him merciful to you so that he will send your other brother and Benjamin ⌞home⌟ with you. If I lose my children, I lose my children.”
15The men took the gifts, twice as much money, and Benjamin. They went to Egypt, where they presented themselves to Joseph.
The Banquet at Joseph’s House
16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the man in charge of his house, “Take these men to my house. Butcher an animal, and prepare a meal, because they are going to eat with me at noon.”
17So the man did as Joseph said and took them to Joseph’s house. 18The men were frightened, because they had been brought to Joseph’s house. They thought, “We’ve been brought here because of the money that was put back into our sacks the first time. They’re going to attack us, overpower us, take our donkeys, and make us slaves.”
19So they came to the man in charge of Joseph’s house and spoke to him at the door. 20“Please, sir,” they said, “we came here to buy food once before. 21When we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks, and each man found all of his money inside. So we brought it back with us. 22We also brought more money to buy food. We have no idea who put our money back in our sacks.”
23“It’s alright,” he said. “Don’t be afraid! Your God, the God of your father, must have given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24The man took the brothers into Joseph’s house. He gave them water to wash their feet and feed for their donkeys. 25They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s return at noon, because they had heard they were going to eat there.
26When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought to the house. Then they bowed to him with their faces touching the ground. 27He asked them how they were. Then he said, “You told me about your elderly father. How is he? Is he still alive?”
28They answered, “Yes, sir. Our father is alive and well.” Then they knelt, bowing down.
29As Joseph looked around, he saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son. “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” he asked. “God be gracious to you, my son,” he said. 30Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, he hurried away, looking for a place to cry. He went into his private room and cried there.
31Then he washed his face and came out. He was in control of his emotions when he said, “Serve the food.”
32He was served separately from his brothers. The Egyptians who were there with him were also served separately, because they found it offensive to eat with Hebrews. 33The brothers were seated facing him according to their ages—from the oldest to the youngest. They looked at each other in amazement.
34Joseph had portions of food brought to them from his table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times more than any of the others. So they ate and drank with Joseph until they were drunk.
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Genesis 43
43
1And the famine was sore in the land. 2And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. 3And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. 4If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: 5but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. 6And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? 7And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of 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? 8And Judah said unto 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. 9I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: 10for except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time. 11And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: 12and take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: 13take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: 14and 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.
15And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon. 17And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house. 18And 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 bondmen, and our asses. 19And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, 20and said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: 21and 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. 22And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. 23And 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 unto them. 24And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. 25And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26And 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. 27And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? 28And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. 29And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. 30And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. 31And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. 32And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. 33And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. 34And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of their's. And they drank, and were merry with him.
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