Genesis 43

1Now the famine was severe in the land.

2When they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little food.”

3But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’

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

5But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

6Israel said, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?”

7They answered, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

8Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will get going, so that we may live and not die—we and you and our little ones.

9I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, then let me bear the blame before you all my life.

10If we had not delayed, we could have been there and back twice by now.”

11Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.

12Take double the silver with you, and take back the silver that was returned in the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.

13Take your brother too, and go back to the man at once.

14May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, so that he will release your other brother and Benjamin to you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

15So the men took the gift, and they took double the silver with them, and Benjamin. They set out, went down to Egypt, and presented themselves to Joseph.

16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men into the house, slaughter an animal, and prepare a meal, for the men will eat with me at noon.”

17The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph’s house.

18Now the men were afraid because they had been brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We have been brought here because of the silver that was put back in our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us, and take us as slaves along with our donkeys.”

19So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.

20They said, “Please, my lord, we came down here the first time to buy food.

21But when we reached the place where we stopped for the night and opened our sacks, each man’s silver was there in the mouth of his sack, our silver in its full weight. So we have brought it back with us.

22We have also brought more silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

23He said, “It is all right. Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24The steward brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He also gave feed to their donkeys.

25They got the gift ready for Joseph’s arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.

26When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had with them into the house, and they bowed down to the ground before him.

27He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

28They answered, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” Then they bowed low and prostrated themselves.

29When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

30Joseph hurried out, for his heart went out to his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.

31Then he washed his face and came out. Controlling himself, he said, “Serve the meal.”

32They served him by himself, and the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is detestable to the Egyptians.

33The brothers were seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in amazement.

34Portions were brought to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as large as any of theirs. So they drank with him and became merry.