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Genesis 43

The Return to Egypt

 ²So 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."

 ³Judah spoke to him, however, saying, "^(B)The man solemnly warned us, 'You shall 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 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.'"

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

 ⁷But they said, "The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, '^(C)Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"

 ⁸Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, ^(D)that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones.

 ⁹"^(E)I myself will be surety for him; you may 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 could have returned twice."

 ¹¹Then 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 bags, and carry down to the man ^(F)as a present, a little ^(G)balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.

 ¹²"Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand ^(H)the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.

 ¹³"Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man;

 ¹⁴and may ^(I)God Almighty ^(J)grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you ^(K)your other brother and Benjamin And as for me, ^(L)if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

 ¹⁵So the men took ^(M)this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

Joseph Sees Benjamin

 ¹⁷So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house.

 ¹⁸Now 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 seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys."

 ¹⁹So they came near to Joseph's house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house,

 ²⁰and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,

 ²¹and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, ^(O)each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full So ^(P)we have brought it back in our hand.

 ²²"We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks."

 ²³He said, "^[a]Be at ease, do not be afraid. ^(Q)Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money " Then ^(R)he brought Simeon out to them.

 ²⁴Then the man brought the men into Joseph's house and ^(S)gave them water, and they ^(T)washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder.

 ²⁵So they prepared ^(U)the present for Joseph's coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.

 ²⁶When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and ^(V)bowed to the ground before him.

 ²⁷Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, "^(W)Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

 ²⁸They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." ^(X)They bowed down in homage.

 ²⁹As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he said, "Is this ^(Y)your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "^(Z)May God be gracious to you, my son."

 ³⁰Joseph hurried out for ^(AA)he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and ^(AB)wept there.

 ³¹Then he washed his face and came out; and he ^(AC)controlled himself and said, "Serve the meal."

 ³²So 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 ^(AD)loathsome to the Egyptians.

 ³³Now they were seated before him, ^(AE)the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.

 ³⁴He took portions to them from his own table, ^(AF)but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Genesis 44

The Brothers Are Brought Back

 ²"Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain." And he did as Joseph had told him.

 ³As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys.

 ⁴They had just gone out of ^(AH)the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, "Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?

 ⁵'Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for ^(AI)divination? You have done wrong in doing this.'"

 ⁶So he overtook them and spoke these words to them.

 ⁷They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.

 ⁸"Behold, ^(AJ)the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?

 ⁹"^(AK)With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's ^(AL)slaves."

 ¹⁰So he said, "Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent."

 ¹¹Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

 ¹²He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and ^(AM)the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

 ¹³Then they ^(AN)tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to ^(AO)the city.

 ¹⁴When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there, and ^(AP)they fell to the ground before him.

 ¹⁵Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice ^(AQ)divination?"

 ¹⁶So Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord's ^(AR)slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found."

 ¹⁷But he said, "Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father."

 ¹⁸Then Judah approached him, and said, "Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord's ears, and ^(AS)do not be angry with your servant; for ^(AT)you are equal to Pharaoh.

 ¹⁹"^(AU)My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?'

 ²⁰"We said to my lord, 'We have an old father and ^(AV)a little child of his old age Now ^(AW)his brother is dead, so he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.'

 ²¹"Then you said to your servants, '^(AX)Bring him down to me that I may set my eyes on him.'

 ²²"But we said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'

 ²³"You said to your servants, however, '^(AY)Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.'

 ²⁴"Thus it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

 ²⁵"^(AZ)Our father said, 'Go back, buy us a little food.'

 ²⁶"But we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

 ²⁷"Your servant my father said to us, 'You know that ^(BA)my wife bore me two sons;

 ²⁸and the one went out from me, and ^(BB)I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces," and I have not seen him since.

 ²⁹'If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will ^(BC)bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.'

 ³⁰"Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since ^(BD)his life is bound up in the lad's life,

 ³¹when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will ^(BE)bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.

 ³²"For your servant ^(BF)became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.'

 ³³"Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.

 ³⁴"For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me--for fear that I see the evil that would overtake my father?"

Genesis 45

Joseph Deals Kindly with His Brothers

 ^2(BH)He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it.

 ³Then Joseph said to his brothers, "^(BI)I am Joseph! ^(BJ)Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for ^(BK)they were dismayed at his presence.

 ⁴Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And they came closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you ^(BL)sold into Egypt.

 ⁵"Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because ^(BM)you sold me here, for ^(BN)God sent me before you to preserve life.

 ⁶"For the famine has been in the land ^(BO)these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.

 ⁷"^(BP)God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.

 ⁸"Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a ^(BQ)father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

 ⁹"Hurry and go up to my father, and ^(BR)say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.

 ¹⁰"You shall live in the land of ^(BS)Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have.

 ¹¹"There I will also ^(BT)provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished."'

 ¹²"Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you.

 ¹³"Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and ^(BU)bring my father down here."

 ¹⁴Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and ^(BV)wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.

 ¹⁵He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

 ¹⁶Now when ^(BW)the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.

 ¹⁷Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan,

 ¹⁸and take your father and your households and come to me, and ^(BX)I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.'

 ¹⁹"Now you are ordered, 'Do this: take ^(BY)wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come.

 ²⁰'Do not concern yourselves with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"

 ²¹Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them ^(BZ)wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.

 ²²To each of them he gave ^(CA)changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and ^(CB)five changes of garments.

 ²³To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father on the journey.

 ²⁴So he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, "Do not quarrel on the journey."

 ²⁵Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.

 ²⁶They told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." But he was stunned, for ^(CC)he did not believe them.

 ²⁷When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the ^(CD)wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

 ²⁸Then Israel said, "It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

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 ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man ^(A)casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."

 ^25(B)And ^(C)knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.

 ²⁶"If ^(D)Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?

 ²⁷"If I ^(E)by Beelzebul cast out demons, ^(F)by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

 ²⁸"But ^(G)if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

 ²⁹"Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

The Unpardonable Sin

 ³¹"^(I)Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

 ³²"^(J)Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in ^(K)this age or in the age to come.

Words Reveal Character

 ³⁴"^(M)You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? ^(N)For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

 ³⁵"^(O)The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.

 ³⁶"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in ^(P)the day of judgment.

 ³⁷"For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

The Desire for Signs

 ³⁹But He answered and said to them, "^(R)An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;

 ⁴⁰for just as ^(S)JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will ^(T)the Son of Man be ^(U)three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

 ⁴¹"^(V)The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because ^(W)they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, ^(X)something greater than Jonah is here.

 ⁴²"^(Y)The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, ^(Z)something greater than Solomon is here.

 ⁴³"^(AA)Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.

 ⁴⁴"Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.

 ⁴⁵"Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and ^(AB)the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."

Changed Relationships

 ⁴⁷Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You."

 ⁴⁸But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"

 ⁴⁹And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers!

 ⁵⁰"For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."