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

Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?”

2 A nd 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.”

He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die.”

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

Then ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4 B ut 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

But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “ I am afraid that harm may befall him.”

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

So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.

6 J oseph 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.

Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

7 W hen 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.”

When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

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

But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him.

9 J oseph 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.”

Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land.”

10 T hey said to him, “No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food.

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

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

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

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

Yet he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of 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 now with our father. And one is no more.”

But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.”

14 B ut Joseph said to them, “It is as I said. You are spies.

Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies;

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

by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here!

16 S end 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.”

Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.”

17 H e put them all together in prison for three days.

So he put them all together in prison for three days.

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

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

19 I f 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.

if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households,

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

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

21 T hey 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.”

Then they said to one another, “ Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.”

22 R euben 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.”

Reuben answered them, saying, “ Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood.”

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

They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them.

24 J oseph 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

He turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

25 T hen 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.

Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to restore every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And thus it was done for them.

26 T hen they loaded their donkeys with their grain, and left.

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

27 W hen 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.

As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money; and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28 H e 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?”

Then he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” And their hearts sank, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “ What is this that God has done to us?” Simeon Is Held Hostage

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

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

30 “ 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.

“The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

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

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

32 W e 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.’

We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’

33 T hen 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.

The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘ By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go.

34 B ut 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.’”

But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’”

35 W hen 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.

Now it came about as they were emptying 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 dismayed.

36 T heir 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!”

Their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.”

37 T hen 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.”

Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my care, and I will return him to you.”

38 B ut 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.”

But Jacob said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”