1 A nd the famine was sore in the land.

Now the famine was severe 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.

So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, 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.

Judah spoke to him, however, saying, “ The man solemnly warned us, ‘You shall not see my face 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 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 do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will 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?

Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still 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?

But they said, “The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, ‘ Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

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.

Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, we as well as you and 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 myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever.

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

For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.”

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:

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 carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, 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:

Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.

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

Take your brother also, and arise, 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.

and may God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, 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.

So the men took this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. Joseph Sees Benjamin

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.

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his house steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon.”

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

So the man did as Joseph said, 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.

Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “ It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with 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 Joseph’s house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house,

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

and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down 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 it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full. So we have brought it back in our hand.

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.

We have also brought down other money in our hand 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.

He said, “ Be at ease, do not 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 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.

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

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

So they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal 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.

When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him.

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?

Then he asked them about 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.

They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” They bowed down in homage.

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.

As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “ May 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.

Joseph hurried out for he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and 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.

Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, “ Serve the meal.”

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.

So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is loathsome 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.

Now they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.

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 their's. And they drank, and were merry with him.

He took portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.