1 N ow Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”

2 A nd he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.”

3 A nd Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy grain from Egypt.

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

4 B ut Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest Peradventure harm befall him.

But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.”

5 A nd the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 A nd Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.

Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.

7 A nd Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly with them; and he said unto them. Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”

8 A nd Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

9 A nd Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!”

10 A nd they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

11 W e are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.”

12 A nd he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

13 A nd they said, We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.”

14 A nd Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’

15 h ereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

16 S end one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!”

17 A nd he put them all together into ward three days.

So he put them all together in prison three days.

18 A nd Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live: for I fear God:

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

19 i f ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in your prison-house; but go ye, carry grain for the famine of your houses:

If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.

20 a nd bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.

21 A nd they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.”

22 A nd Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is required.

And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.”

23 A nd they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

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

24 A nd he turned himself about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spake to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.

And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. The Brothers Return to Canaan

25 T hen Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provisions for the way: and thus was it done unto them.

Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them.

26 A nd they laded their asses with their grain, and departed thence.

So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there.

27 A nd as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the lodging-place, he espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack.

28 A nd he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying, What is this that God hath done unto us?

So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29 A nd they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying,

Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them, saying:

30 T he man, the lord of the land, spake roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

“The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

31 A nd we said unto him, We are true men; and we are no spies:

But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.

32 w e are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.’

33 A nd the man, the lord of the land, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men: leave one of your brethren with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way;

Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone.

34 a nd bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land.

And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’”

35 A nd it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

36 A nd Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.”

37 A nd Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.”

38 A nd he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left: if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.

But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.”