1 T he famine was severe in the land.

Now the famine was severe in the land.

2 W hen they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more 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 J udah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is 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 you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food,

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

5 b ut if you’ll not send him, we’ll 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 down; for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

6 I srael said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”

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

7 T hey said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could 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 J udah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, 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 ’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever,

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 if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”

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

11 T heir father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, 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 take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps 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 your brother also, get up, and return to the man.

Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man;

14 M ay God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am 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 T he men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, 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 W hen Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will 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 T he man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.

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

18 T he men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

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 T hey came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to 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, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,

21 W hen we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back 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 W e have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know 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 H e said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to 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 T he man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.

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 T hey prepared the present for Joseph’s coming 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 W hen Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down 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 H e asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? 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 T hey said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.

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

29 H e lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, 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 J oseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, 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 H e washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”

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

32 T hey served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to 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 T hey sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with 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 H e sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. 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.