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)”

¹² “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(AG)

¹³ But they replied, “Your servants^(AH) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.^(AI) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”^(AJ)

¹⁴ Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!^{(AK) 15} And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,^(AL) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.^{(AM) 16} Send one of your number to get your brother;^(AN) the rest of you will be kept in prison,^(AO) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.^(AP) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!^(AQ)” ¹⁷ And he put them all in custody^(AR) for three days.

⁹ “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph,^(A) they sold him as a slave into Egypt.^(B) But God was with him^{(C) 10} and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.^(D)

¹¹ “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.^{(E) 12} When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit.^{(F) 13} On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was,^(G) and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family.^{(H) 14} After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family,^(I) seventy-five in all.^{(J) 15} Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died.^{(K) 16} Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.^(L)