aNow the famine was severe
in the land
.
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
."
Judah spoke
to him, however, saying
, " aThe man
solemnly
warned
1us, `You shall not see
my face
unless
your brother
is with you.'
"If you send
our brother
with us, we will go
down
and buy
you food
.
"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.' "
Then Israel said
, "Why
did you treat
me so badly
1by telling
the man
whether you still
had another brother
?"
But they said, "The man
questioned
particularly
about us and our relatives
, saying
, ` aIs your father
still
alive
? Have
you another brother
?' So we 1answered
his questions
. Could we possibly
know
that he would say
, `Bring
your brother
down
'?"
Judah said
to his father
Israel
, "Send
the lad
with me and we will arise
and go
, athat we may live
and not die
, we as well
as you and our little
ones
.
" aI myself will be surety
for him; 1you may hold
me responsible
for him. If
I do not bring
him back to you and set
him before
you, then 2let me bear
the blame
before you forever
.
"For if we had not delayed
, surely
by now
we could have returned
twice
."
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 1bags
, and carry
down
to the man
aas a present
, a little
2 bbalm
and a little
honey
, 3aromatic
gum
and 4myrrh
, pistachio
nuts
and almonds
.
"Take double
the money
in your hand
, and take
back
in your hand
athe money
that was returned
in the mouth
of your sacks
; perhaps
it was a mistake
.
"Take your brother
also, and arise
, return
to the man
;
and may 1 aGod Almighty
bgrant
you compassion
in the sight
of the man
, so that he will release
to you cyour other
brother
and Benjamin
. And as for me, dif
I am bereaved
of my children
, I am bereaved
."
So the men took
athis
present
, and they took
double
the money
in their hand
, and Benjamin
; then they arose
and went
down
to Egypt
and stood
before
Joseph
.
When Joseph saw
Benjamin
with them, he said
to his ahouse
steward
, "Bring
the men
into the house
, and slay
an animal
and make
ready
; for the men
are to dine
with me at noon
."
So the man did
as Joseph
said
, and 1brought
the men
to Joseph's
house
.
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 1seek
occasion
against
us and fall
upon us, and take
us for slaves
with our donkeys
."
So they came near
to Joseph's
house
steward
, and spoke
to him at the entrance
of the house
,
and said, "Oh
, my lord
, we indeed
came
down
the first
time
to buy
food
,
and it came about when
we came
to the lodging
place
, that we opened
our sacks
, and behold
, aeach
man's
money
was in the mouth
of his sack
, our money
in 1full
. So bwe have brought
it back
in our hand
.
"We have also brought down
other
money
in our hand
to buy
food
; we do not know
who
put
our money
in our sacks
."
He said, " 1Be at ease
, do not be afraid
. aYour God
and the God
of your father
has given
you treasure
in your sacks
; 2I had
your money
." Then bhe brought
Simeon
out to them.
Then the man brought
the men
into Joseph's
house
and agave
them water
, and they bwashed
their feet
; and he gave
their donkeys
fodder
.
So they prepared athe present
1for Joseph's
coming
at noon
; for they had heard
that they were to eat
2a meal
there
.
When Joseph came
home
, they brought
into the house
to him the present
which
was in their hand
and abowed
to the ground
before him.
Then he asked them about their welfare
, and said
, " aIs your old
father
well
, of whom
you spoke
? Is he still
alive
?"
They said, "Your servant
our father
is well
; he is still
alive
." aThey bowed
down
1in homage
.
As he lifted his eyes
and saw
his brother
Benjamin
, his mother's
son
, he said
, "Is this
ayour youngest
brother
, of whom
you spoke
to me?" And he said
, " bMay God
be gracious
to you, my son
."
Joseph hurried
out for 1 ahe was deeply
stirred
over
his brother
, and he sought
a place to weep
; and he entered
his chamber
and bwept
there
.
Then he washed his face
and came
out; and he acontrolled
himself and said
, " 1Serve
the meal
."
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 1 aloathsome
to the Egyptians
.
Now they 1were seated before
him, athe firstborn
according to his birthright
and the youngest
according to his youth
, and the men
looked
at one
another
in astonishment
.
He took portions
to them from 1his own table
, abut Benjamin's
portion
was five
times
as much
as any
of theirs. So they feasted
and drank
freely
with him.