Genesis 43

43 ¹ Now the famine was severe in the land. ² When they had finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little food."

³ But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us: 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'" ⁴ If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. ⁵ But if you won't send him, we won't go down, for the man told us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'

⁶ And Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man you had another brother?"

⁷ They said, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. He asked, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we answered his questions. How could we possibly know he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"

⁸ Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will set out right away, so that we may live and not die — both we and you and our little ones. ⁹ I myself will stand as his guarantor; 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 For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have returned twice.

¹¹ Then Israel their father 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 a present to the man — a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. ¹² Take double the money with you, and bring back the money that was returned to the top of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. ¹³ Take your brother also, and go back to the man. ¹⁴ And may El Shaddai — our Father Almighty — grant you mercy before the man, that he may send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

¹⁵ So the men took this present and double the money with them, and Benjamin. Then they set out for Egypt and stood before Joseph.

¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring these men into the house, and slaughter an animal and prepare it, for these men will dine with me at noon." ¹⁷ The man did as Joseph said, and he brought the men into Joseph's house. ¹⁸ Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the money returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in — so that he may overpower us, attack us, and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys." ¹⁹ So they approached the steward of Joseph's house and spoke to him at the door, ²⁰ and said, "Please, sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food. ²¹ But when we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks, and there it was — each man's money at the top of his sack, the full amount we had paid. So we have brought it back with us, ²² and we have also brought more money with us to buy food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks."

²³ But he said, "Peace be with you; do not be afraid. Your Father and the Father of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I did receive your payment." Then he brought Simeon out to them. ²⁴ 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 So they prepared the present for Joseph's arrival at noon, for they had heard that they would have a meal there. ²⁶ When Joseph came home, they brought him the present they had with them, and bowed down before him to the ground. ²⁷ Then he asked about their welfare and said, "Is your father well — the old man you told me about? Is he still alive?"

²⁸ They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. ²⁹ Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?" And he said, "May our Father be gracious to you, my son." ³⁰ Now Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome with compassion for his brother, and he looked for somewhere to weep; so he went to his private room and wept there. ³¹ Then he washed his face and came out; and he composed himself and said, "Serve the meal."

³² 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 with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. ³³ And they were seated before him in order of age — the oldest in his rightful place and the youngest in his — and the men looked at one another in astonishment. ³⁴ Then he sent portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and celebrated with him.