And the famine was sore
in the land
.
And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn
which they had brought out
of Egypt
, their father
said
unto them, Go again
, buy
us a little
food
.
And Judah spake
unto him, saying
, The man
did solemnly
protest
unto us, saying
, Ye shall not see
my face
, except
your brother
be with you.
If thou wilt send
our brother
with us, we will go down
and buy
thee food
:
But if thou wilt not send him , we will not go down
: for the man
said
unto us, Ye shall not see
my face
, except your brother
be with you.
And Israel said
, Wherefore dealt ye so ill
with me, as to tell
the man
whether ye had yet a brother
?
And they said, The man
asked
us straitly
of our state, and of our kindred
, saying
, Is your father
yet alive
? have ye
another brother
? and we told
him according
to the tenor
of these words
: could we certainly
know
that he would say
, Bring
your brother
down
?
And Judah said
unto Israel
his father
, Send
the lad
with me, and we will arise
and go
; that we may live
, and not die
, both we, and thou, and also our little ones
.
I will be surety for him; of my hand
shalt thou require
him: if
I bring
him not
unto thee, and set
him before thee
, then let me bear the blame
for ever
:
For except we had lingered
, surely now we had returned
this second time
.
And their father Israel
said
unto them, If it must be so now
, do
this; take
of the best fruits
in the land
in your vessels
, and carry down
the man
a present
, a little
balm
, and a little
honey
, spices
, and myrrh
, nuts
, and almonds
:
And take double
money
in your hand
; and the money
that was brought again
in the mouth
of your sacks
, carry it again
in your hand
; peradventure it was an oversight
:
Take also your brother
, and arise
, go again
unto the man
:
And God Almighty
give
you mercy
before
the man
, that he may send away
your other
brother
, and Benjamin
. If
I be bereaved
of my children , I am bereaved
.
And the men took
that
present
, and they took
double
money
in their hand
, and Benjamin
; and rose up
, and went down
to Egypt
, and stood
before
Joseph
.
And when Joseph saw
Benjamin
with
them, he said
to the ruler of his house
, Bring
these men
home
, and slay
, and make ready
; for these men
shall dine
with me at noon
.
And the man did
as Joseph
bade
; and the man
brought
the men
into Joseph's
house
.
And the men were afraid
, because they were brought
into Joseph's
house
; and they said
, Because
of the money
that was returned
in our sacks
at the first time
are we brought in
; that he may seek occasion
against us, and fall
upon us, and take
us for bondmen
, and our asses
.
And they came near to the steward
of Joseph's
house
, and they communed
with him at the door
of the house
,
And said, O
sir
, we came indeed
down
at the first time
to buy
food
:
And it came to pass, when we came to the inn
, that we opened
our sacks
, and, behold, every man's
money
was in the mouth
of his sack
, our money
in full weight
: and we have brought it again
in our hand
.
And other money
have we brought down
in our hands
to buy
food
: we cannot tell
who put
our money
in our sacks
.
And he said, Peace
be to you, fear
not: your God
, and the God
of your father
, hath given
you treasure
in your sacks
: I had
your money
. And he brought
Simeon
out unto them.
And the man brought
the men
into Joseph's
house
, and gave
them water
, and they washed
their feet
; and he gave
their asses
provender
.
And they made ready the present
against
Joseph
came
at noon
: for they heard
that they should eat
bread
there.
And when Joseph came
home
, they brought
him the present
which was in their hand
into the house
, and bowed
themselves to him to the earth
.
And he asked them of their welfare
, and said
, Is your father
well
, the old man
of whom ye spake
? Is he yet alive
?
And they answered, Thy servant
our father
is in good health
, he is yet alive
. And they bowed down their heads
, and made obeisance
.
And he lifted up his eyes
, and saw
his brother
Benjamin
, his mother's
son
, and said
, Is this your younger
brother
, of whom ye spake
unto me? And he said
, God
be gracious
unto thee, my son
.
And Joseph made haste
; for his bowels
did yearn
upon his brother
: and he sought
where to weep
; and he entered
into his chamber
, and wept
there.
And he washed his face
, and went out
, and refrained
himself, and said
, Set on
bread
.
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians
, which did eat
with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians
might
not eat
bread
with the Hebrews
; for that is an abomination
unto the Egyptians
.
And they sat before him
, the firstborn
according to his birthright
, and the youngest
according to his youth
: and the men
marvelled
one
at another
.
And he took and sent messes
unto them from before him
: but Benjamin's
mess
was five
times
so much as
any of theirs. And they drank
, and were merry
with him.