Genesis 41:53-42:11

New International Version

⁵³ The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, ⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine^(A) began,^(B) just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. ⁵⁵ When all Egypt began to feel the famine,^(C) the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”^(D)

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians,^(E) for the famine^(F) was severe throughout Egypt.^{(G) 57} And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph,^(H) because the famine was severe everywhere.^(I)

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,^(J) he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” ² He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us,^(K) so that we may live and not die.”^(L)

³ Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain^(M) from Egypt. ⁴ But Jacob did not send Benjamin,^(N) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.^{(O) 5} So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,^(P) for there was famine in the land of Canaan^(Q) also.^(R)

⁶ Now Joseph was the governor of the land,^(S) the person who sold grain to all its people.^(T) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.^{(U) 7} As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.^(V) “Where do you come from?”^(W) he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.^{(X) 9} Then he remembered his dreams^(Y) about them and said to them, “You are spies!^(Z) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(AA)

¹⁰ “No, my lord,^(AB)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.^{(AC) 11} We are all the sons of one man. Your servants^(AD) are honest men,^(AE) not spies.^(AF)”