Genesis

The first book of Moses, called Genesis, chapter 43, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 43 New English Translation

The Second Journey to Egypt

   1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Return, buy us a little more food."
   3 But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you send our brother with us, we'll go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we won't go down there because the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
   6 Israel said, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had one more brother?"
   7 They replied, "The man questioned us thoroughly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we answered him in this way. How could we possibly know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"
   8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. Then we will live and not die - we and you and our little ones. 9 I myself pledge security for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back twice by now!"
   11 Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man - a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you; you must take back the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks - perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take your brother too, and go right away to the man. 14 May the sovereign God grant you mercy before the man so that he may release your other brother and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them."
   15 So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, "Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon." 17 The man did just as Joseph said; he brought the men into Joseph's house.
   18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph's house. They said, "We are being brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks last time. He wants to capture us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys!" 19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph's household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 They said, "My LORD, we did indeed come down the first time to buy food. 21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money - the full amount - in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. 22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!"
   23 "Everything is fine," the man in charge of Joseph's household told them. "Don't be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
   24 The servant in charge brought the men into Joseph's house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave food to their donkeys. 25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph's arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were to have a meal there.
   26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, and they bowed down to the ground before him. 27 He asked them how they were doing. Then he said, "Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?" 28 "Your servant our father is well," they replied. "He is still alive." They bowed down in humility.
   29 When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he said, "Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son." 30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother and was at the point of tears. So he went to his room and wept there.
   31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, "Set out the food." 32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so.) 33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. 34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk.

King James Version

   1 And the famine was sore in the land.
   2 And 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.
   3 And 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.
   4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
   5 But 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.
   6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
   7 And 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?
   8 And 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.
   9 I 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:
   10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
   11 And 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:
   12 And 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:
   13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto 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.
   15 And 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.
   16 And 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.
   17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's 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 bondmen, and our asses.
   19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,
   20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time 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.
   22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
   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 unto 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 asses provender.
   25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they 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.
   27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
   28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
   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 spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
   30 And 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.
   31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
   32 And 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.
   33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.
   34 And 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.