1 N ow the famine was severe in the land.

The time of no food was hard in the land.

2 A nd it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.”

When they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again and buy us a little food.”

3 B ut Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’

But Judah told him, “The man said to us with sharp words, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’

4 I f you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

If you send our brother with us, we will go to Egypt and buy you food.

5 B ut 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.’”

But if you do not send him, we will not go. For the man said, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

6 A nd Israel said, “Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?”

Israel said, “Why did you do me such a wrong by telling the man that you had another brother?”

7 B ut they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘ Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

And they said, “The man asked questions about us and our family. He said, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we answered his questions. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

8 T hen 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.

Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me. And we will get up and go, so we and you and our children may live and not die.

9 I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

I will put myself as trust for him. You may put him in my care. If I do not return him to you and set him in front of you, then let the blame be on me forever.

10 F or if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.”

For if we had not waited, we would have returned twice by now.”

11 A nd their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.

Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best things of the land in your bags. Carry them to the man as a gift. Give him perfume and honey and spices and special things to eat.

12 T ake double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.

Take twice as much money with you to take the place of the money that was returned in your bags. It may be that it was a mistake.

13 T ake your brother also, and arise, go back to the man.

Take your brother also. Get up, and return to the man.

14 A nd may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!”

May the All-powerful God give you such favor with the man that he may let your other brother and Benjamin return. If my children are taken from me, I am filled with sorrow.”

15 S o the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph.

So the men took the gift, and twice as much money, and Benjamin. They got up and went to Egypt, and stood in front of Joseph.

16 W hen Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.”

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the man who took care of his house, “Bring the men into the house. And kill an animal and make it ready. For the men will eat with me at noon.”

17 T hen the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.

So the man did what Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph’s house.

18 N ow the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “ It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.”

The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of the money that was returned in our bags the first time we came. He is looking for something against us. He will come down on us and take us for servants with our donkeys.”

19 W hen they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house,

So they came near the man who took care of Joseph’s house, and spoke to him at the door of the house.

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

They said, “O, my lord, we came here the first time to buy food.

21 b ut it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand.

When we came to the place where we stayed the night, we opened our bags. And we found that the full weight of each man’s money was at the top of the bag. So we have brought it again with us.

22 A nd we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”

We have brought other money with us also to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our bags.”

23 B ut he said, “Peace be with you, 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.

But he answered, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you riches in your bags. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24 S o the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.

The man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water to wash their feet. And he fed their donkeys.

25 T hen they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.

So they made the gift ready to give to Joseph when he came at noon. For they had heard that they were to eat there.

26 A nd when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.

When Joseph came home, they gave him the gift they had brought with them. They bowed to the ground in front of him.

27 T hen he asked them about their well-being, and said, “ Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”

Then Joseph asked them about their well-being. He said, “Is your father well, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?”

28 A nd they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.

And they said, “Your servant, our father is well. He is still alive.” Then they bowed their heads low in honor to Joseph.

29 T hen he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “ Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”

As he looked up, he saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son. He said, “Is this your youngest brother whom you told me about? May God show you loving-favor, my son.”

30 N ow his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there.

Then Joseph went out in a hurry. For he had much feeling for his brother. He went in his room and cried.

31 T hen he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, “Serve the bread.”

Then he washed his face and came out. Hiding his feelings, he said, “Bring the food.”

32 S o they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

So they brought food to Joseph by himself, and to them by themselves, and to the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves. The Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews because they thought it would be sinful.

33 A nd they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another.

Joseph’s brothers were seated in front of him by the way they were born, from the oldest to the youngest. And the men looked at each other in wonder.

34 T hen he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

Joseph took food to them from his own table. But Benjamin’s food was five times as much as any of theirs. And they were free in eating and drinking with him.