1 A nd the famine was sore in the land.

But the hunger and destitution and starvation were very severe and extremely distressing in the land.

2 A nd 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.

And when had eaten up the grain which the men had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food.

3 A nd 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.

But Judah said to him, The man solemnly and sternly warned us, saying, You shall not see my face again unless your brother is with you.

4 I f thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food;

5 b ut 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.

But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.

6 A nd Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

And Israel said, Why did you do me such a wrong and suffer this evil to come upon me by telling the man that you had another brother?

7 A nd 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?

And they said, The man asked us straightforward questions about ourselves and our relatives. He said, Is your father still alive? Have you another brother? And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, Bring your brother down here?

8 A nd 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.

And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you 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:

I will be security for him; you shall require him of me; if I do not bring him back to you and put him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

10 f or except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

For if we had not lingered like this, surely by now we would have returned the second time.

11 A nd 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:

And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so, now do this; take of the choicest products in the land in your sacks and carry down a present to the man, a little balm (balsam) and a little honey, aromatic spices and gum (of rock rose) or ladanum, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

12 a nd 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:

And take double the money with you; and the money that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again with you; there is a possibility that was an oversight.

13 t ake also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

Take your brother and arise and return to the man;

14 a nd 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.

May God Almighty give you mercy and favor before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.

15 A nd 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.

Then the men took the present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

16 A nd 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.

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house and kill an animal and make ready, for the men will dine with me at noon.

17 A nd the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.

And the man did as Joseph ordered and brought the men to Joseph’s house.

18 A nd 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.

The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we came, so that he may find occasion to accuse and assail us, take us for slaves, and seize our donkeys.

19 A nd they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

So they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house and talked with him at the door of the house,

20 a nd said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

And said, O sir, we came down truly the first time to buy food;

21 a nd 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.

And when we came to the inn, we opened our sacks and there was each man’s money, full weight, returned in the mouth of his sack. Now we have brought it back again.

22 A nd other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

And we have brought down with us other money to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks.

23 A nd 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.

But said, Peace be to you, fear not; your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money. And he brought Simeon out to them.

24 A nd the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys provender.

25 A nd they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

And they made ready the present they had brought for Joseph before his coming at noon, for they heard that they were to dine there.

26 A nd 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.

And when Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which they had with them, and bowed themselves to him to the ground.

27 A nd he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

He asked them of their welfare and said, Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?

28 A nd they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive. And they bowed down their heads and made obeisance.

29 A nd 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.

And he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to you, my son!

30 A nd 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.

And Joseph hurried from the room, for his heart yearned for his brother, and he sought privacy to weep; so he entered his chamber and wept there.

31 A nd he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

And he washed his face and went out, and, restraining himself, said, Let dinner be served.

32 A nd 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.

And set out for by himself, and for by themselves, and for those Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, according to the Egyptian custom not to eat food with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

33 A nd they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.

And were given seats before him—the eldest according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked at one another amazed.

34 A nd he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

took and sent helpings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank freely and were merry with him.