1 A nd the famine severe in the land;

Now the famine was severe in the land.

2 a nd it cometh to pass, when they have finished eating the corn which they brought from Egypt, that their father saith unto them, `Turn back, buy for 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 speaketh unto him, saying, `The man protesting protested to us, saying, Ye do not see my face without your brother 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 art sending our brother with us, we go down, and buy for thee food,

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

5 a nd if thou art not sending -- we do not go down, for the man said unto us, Ye do not see my face without your brother 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 saith, `Why did ye evil to me, by declaring to the man that 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 say, `The man asked diligently concerning us, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye a brother? and we declare to him according to the tenor of these things; do we certainly know that he will say, Bring down your brother?'

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 saith unto Israel his father, `Send the youth with me, and we arise, and go, and live, and do not die, both we, and thou, and our infants.

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 -- I am surety him, from my hand thou dost require him; if I have not brought him in unto thee, and set him before thee -- then I have sinned against thee all the days;

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 had not lingered, surely now we had returned these two times.'

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

11 A nd Israel their father saith unto them, `If so, now, this do: take of the praised thing of the land in your vessels, and take down to 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 double money take in your hand, even the money which is brought back in the mouth of your bags, ye take back in your hand, it may be it 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 ` And take your brother, and rise, turn back unto the man;

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

14 a nd God Almighty give to you mercies before the man, so that he hath sent to you your other brother and Benjamin; and I, when I am bereaved -- 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 take this present, double money also they have taken in their hand, and Benjamin; and they rise, and go down to Egypt, and stand 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 Joseph seeth Benjamin with them, and saith to him who over his house, `Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal, and make ready, for with me do the men eat 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 doth as Joseph hath said, and the man bringeth in the men into the house of Joseph,

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

18 a nd the men are afraid because they have been brought into the house of Joseph, and they say, `For the matter of the money which was put back in our bags at the commencement are we brought in -- to roll himself upon us, and to throw himself on us, and to take us for servants -- our asses also.'

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 come nigh unto the man who over the house of Joseph, and speak unto him at the opening 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 say, `O, my lord, we really come down at the commencement to buy food;

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

21 a nd it cometh to pass, when we have come in unto the lodging-place, and open our bags, that lo, each one's money in the mouth of his bag, our money in its weight, and we bring 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 a nd other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food; we have not known who put our money in our bags.'

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 saith, `Peace to you, fear not: your God and the God of your father hath given to you hidden treasure in your bags, your money came unto me;' and he bringeth out Simeon 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 bringeth in the men into Joseph's house, and giveth water, and they wash their feet; and he giveth provender for their asses,

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 prepare the present until the coming of Joseph at noon, for they have heard that there they do eat bread.

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 Joseph cometh into the house, and they bring to him the present which in their hand, into the house, and bow 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 asketh of them of peace, and saith, `Is your father well? the aged man of whom ye have spoken, 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 say, `Thy servant our father well, he is yet alive;' and they bow, and do obeisance.

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

29 A nd he lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and saith, `Is this your young brother, of whom ye have spoken unto me?' and he saith, `God favour 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 hasteth, for his bowels have been moved for his brother, and he seeketh to weep, and entereth the inner chamber, and weepeth 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 washeth his face, and goeth out, and refraineth himself, and saith, `Place bread.'

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

32 A nd they place for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who are eating with him by themselves: for the Egyptians are unable to eat bread with the Hebrews, for it 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 A nd they sit before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the young one according to his youth, and the men wonder 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 lifteth up gifts from before him unto them, and the gift of Benjamin is five hands more than the gifts of all of them; and they drink, yea, they drink abundantly 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.