1 N ow when Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, Why do you look at one another?

Now Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt. He said to his sons, “Why are you looking at one another?”

2 F or, he said, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; get down there and buy for us, that we may live and not die.

And he said, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go there and buy some for us, so we may live and not die.”

3 S o ten of Joseph’s brethren went to buy grain in Egypt.

So ten of Joseph’s brothers went to buy grain in Egypt.

4 B ut Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob did not send with his brothers; for he said, Lest perhaps some harm or injury should befall him.

But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers. For he said, “I am afraid that something will happen to him.” Joseph’s Brothers Bow before Him

5 S o the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who came, for there was hunger and general lack of food in the land of Canaan.

So the sons of Israel joined those who were coming to buy grain for there was no food in Canaan.

6 N ow Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was who sold to all the people of the land; and Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves down before him with their faces to the ground.

Joseph was the ruler of the land. He was the one who sold grain to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed to the ground in front of him.

7 J oseph saw his brethren and he recognized them, but he treated them as if he were a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. He said, Where do you come from? And they replied, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

When Joseph saw his brothers, he knew who they were. But he acted like a stranger and spoke sharp words to them. He said, “Where have you come from?” They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

8 J oseph knew his brethren, but they did not know him.

Joseph knew his brothers but they did not know him.

9 A nd Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them and said to them, You are spies and with unfriendly purpose you have come to observe the nakedness of the land.

Joseph remembered the dreams he had had about them. He said to them, “You are spies. You have come to find the weak places in our land.”

10 B ut they said to him, No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

They said to him, “No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food.

11 W e are all one man’s sons; we are true men; your servants are not spies.

We are all sons of one man. We do not lie. Your servants are not working against you in secret.”

12 A nd he said to them, No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.

He said to them, “No! You have come to find the weak places in our land!”

13 B ut they said, Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; the youngest is today with our father, and one is not.

But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father. And one is no more.”

14 A nd Joseph said to them, It is as I said to you, You are spies.

But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said. You are spies.

15 Y ou shall be proved by this test: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go away from here unless your youngest brother comes here.

You will be put to a test. By the life of Pharaoh, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

16 S end one of you and let him bring your brother, and you will be kept in prison, that your words may be proved whether there is any truth in you; or else by the life of Pharaoh you certainly are spies.

Send one of you to bring your brother, and the rest of you will be kept in prison. Your words will be put to a test to see if you are telling the truth. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, you are spies for sure.”

17 T hen he put them all in custody for three days.

He put them all together in prison for three days.

18 A nd Joseph said to them on the third day, Do this and live! I reverence and fear God.

Then Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God.

19 I f you are true men, let one of your brothers be bound in your prison, but you go and carry grain for those weakened with hunger in your households.

If you are men who do not lie, let one of your brothers stay here in prison for all of you. But you others go and carry grain for your hungry families.

20 B ut bring your youngest brother to me, so your words will be verified and you shall live. And they did so.

Then bring your youngest brother to me, so your words will be proven true. And you will live.” So they did what he said.

21 A nd they said one to another, We are truly guilty about our brother, for we saw the distress and anguish of his soul when he begged us, and we would not hear. So this distress and difficulty has come upon us.

They said to one another, “For sure we are guilty for what we did to our brother. We saw the suffering of his soul while he begged us. But we would not listen. So this trouble has come to us.”

22 R euben answered them, Did I not tell you, Do not sin against the boy, and you would not hear? Therefore, behold, his blood is required.

Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy?’ But you would not listen. Now we must pay for his blood.”

23 B ut they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.

They did not know that Joseph understood them. For there was a man between them to tell the meaning of each other’s language.

24 A nd he turned away from them and wept; then he returned to them and talked with them, and took from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes.

Joseph went away from them and cried. Then he returned to speak with them. And he took Simeon from them and put chains on him in front of his brothers. Joseph’s Brothers Return to Canaan

25 T hen Joseph commanded that their sacks be filled with grain, every man’s money be restored to his sack, and provisions be given to them for the journey. And this was done for them.

Then Joseph had their bags filled with grain. He had each man’s money returned to his bag, to buy what was needed as they traveled. So this was done for them.

26 T hey loaded their donkeys with grain and left.

Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain, and left.

27 A nd as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he caught sight of his money; for behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.

When one of them opened his bag to give his donkey food at the place where they were staying the night, he saw his money. It was there at the top of his bag.

28 A nd he said to his brothers, My money is restored! Here it is in my sack! And their hearts failed them and they were afraid and turned trembling one to another, saying, What is this that God has done to us?

He said to his brothers, “My money has been returned! It is inside my bag!” Then their hearts became full of fear. They turned to each other, shaking in fear, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29 W hen they came to Jacob their father in Canaan, they told him all that had befallen them, saying,

When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. They said,

30 T he man who is the lord of the land spoke roughly to us and took us for spies of the country.

“The man who is ruler of the land spoke sharp words to us. He thought that we had gone there to find the weak places in the country.

31 A nd we said to him, We are true men, not spies.

But we said to him, ‘We do not lie. We are not working against you in secret.

32 W e are twelve brothers with the same father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of Canaan.

We are twelve brothers, the sons of our father. One is no more. And the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’

33 A nd the man, the lord of the country, said to us, By this test I will know whether or not you are honest men: leave one of your brothers here with me and take grain for your famishing households and be gone.

Then the man who is ruler of the land said to us, ‘I will know that you are telling the truth by this test. Leave one of your brothers with me. Take grain for your hungry families and go.

34 B ring your youngest brother to me; then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. And I will deliver to you your brother, and you may do business in the land.

But bring your youngest brother to me, so I will know you are not spies, but honest men telling the truth. Then I will return your brother to you. And then you may trade in the land.’”

35 W hen they emptied their sacks, behold, every man’s parcel of money was in his sack! When both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

When they took the grain out of their bags, they found that every man’s money was in his bag. And when they and their father saw the money, they were afraid.

36 A nd Jacob their father said to them, You have bereaved me! Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and you would take Benjamin from me. All these things are against me!

Their father Jacob said to them, “You have taken my children from me! Joseph is no more. Simeon is no more. And now you would take Benjamin! All this has come upon me!”

37 A nd Reuben said to his father, Slay my two sons if I do not bring back to you. Deliver him into my keeping, and I will bring him back to you.

Then Reuben told his father, “You may kill my two sons if I do not return him to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him to you.”

38 B ut said, My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left; if harm or accident should befall him on the journey you are to take, you would bring my hoary head down to Sheol (the place of the dead) with grief.

But Jacob said, “My son will not go with you. For his brother is dead, and only he is left. If something were to happen to him during your traveling, you would bring my white hair down to the grave in sorrow.”