Gen 43 | AB | STEP | But the famine prevailed in the land.

‏ Genesis 43

1 But the famine prevailed in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food. 3 And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother is with you. 4 If, then, you send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy you food; 5 but if you do not send our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother is with you. 6 And Israel said, Why did you harm me, inasmuch as you told the man that you had a brother? 7 And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have you a brother? And we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother? 8 And Judah said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you, and our store. 9 And I myself will be a surety for him; at my hand you shall require him; if I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty toward you forever. 10 For if we had not lingered, we would have returned twice by now. 11 And Israel their father said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of balm and honey, frankincense and myrrh, pistachio nuts and walnuts. 12 And take double money in your hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest perhaps it was a mistake. 13 And take your brother; and arise, go down to the man. 14 And may God give you favor in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly, as I have been bereaved, am bereaved. 15 And the men, having taken these presents, and the double money, took Benjamin in their hands; and they rose up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 And Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon. 17 And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph. 18 And the men, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We have been brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to make a case against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our donkeys. 19 And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house, 20 saying, We pray you, Sir; we came down at first to buy food. 21 And it came to pass, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks; and there, in our sacks, was each man's money. We have now brought back our money, in full weight, in our hands. 22 And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into our sacks. 23 And he said to them, God deal mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and I have enough of your good money. And he brought Simeon out to them. 24 And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave feed to their donkeys. 25 And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine there. 26 And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. 27 And he asked them, How are you? And he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom you spoke, well? Does he still live? 28 And they said, Your servant our father is well; he is still alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God-and they bowed, and prostrated themselves. 29 And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom you spoke of bringing to me? And he said, God have mercy on you, my son. 30 And Joseph was troubled, for his heart yearned over his brother, and he wanted to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there. 31 And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set out bread. 32 And they set out bread for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement, everyone at his brother. 34 And they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as the portions of the others. And they drank and were merry with him.