Bereshis 38-44

Orthodox Jewish Bible

38 And it came to pass at that time, that Yehudah went down from his achim, and turned in to an ish Adulami shmo Chirah.

² And Yehudah saw there a bat ish Kena’ani shmo Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her.

³ She conceived, and bore ben; and he called shmo Er.

⁴ And she conceived again, and bore ben; and she called shmo Onan.

⁵ And she yet again conceived, and bore ben; and called shmo Shelah; at Keziv, when she bore him.

⁶ And Yehudah took a wife for Er his bechor, whose shem was Tamar.

⁷ And Er, bechor Yehudah, was rah in the eyes of Hashem; and Hashem slaughtered him.

⁸ And Yehudah said unto Onan, Go in unto eshet achicha, and enter into levirate marriage with her, and raise up zera to achicha.

⁹ And Onan knew that the zera should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto eshet achiv, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give zera to achiv.

¹⁰ And the thing which he did was rah in the eyes of Hashem; therefore He slaughtered him also.

¹¹ Then said Yehudah to Tamar his kallah, Remain an almanah at thy bais avi, till Shelah beni is grown; for he said, Lest he die also, as his achim did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her bais avi.

¹² And in process of time the bat Shua, eshet Yehudah, died; and Yehudah was consoled, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnah, he and his re’a Chirah the Adulami.

¹³ And it was told Tamar, saying, Hinei, thy kham (father-in-law) goeth up to Timnah to shear his tzon.

¹⁴ And she put off her widow’s garments from her, and covered her with a tze’if (veil), and disguised herself, and sat at the crossroads which is on the derech to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him as isha.

¹⁵ When Yehudah saw her, he thought her to be a zonah; because she had covered her face.

¹⁶ And he turned unto her by the derech, and said, Come now, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his kallah [daughter-in-law]). And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?

¹⁷ And he said, I will send thee a gedi izzim (kid of the goats). And she said, Wilt thou give me an ervon (pledge), till thou send it?

¹⁸ And he said, What ervon shall I give thee? And she said, Thy chotam (signet), and thy [signet neck] cord, and thy staff that is in thine yad. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

¹⁹ And she arose, and went away, and took off her tze’if from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

²⁰ And Yehudah sent the gedi izzim by the yad of his friend the Adulami, to get back his ervon from the yad haisha; but he found her not.

²¹ Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the kedesha (cult prostitute) that was on the crossroads by the derech? And they said, There was no kedesha in this place.

²² And he returned to Yehudah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said that there was no kedesha in this place.

²³ And Yehudah said, Let her take for herself, lest we become buz (laughingstock); hinei, I sent this gedi, and thou hast not found her.

²⁴ And it came to pass about shlosh chadashim (three months) later, that it was told Yehudah saying, Tamar thy kallah hath played the zonah; and also, hinei, she is with child by zenunim (whoredom). And Yehudah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burned.

²⁵ When she was brought forth, she sent to her kham (father-in-law), saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child; and she said, Discern, now, whose are these, the chotam (signet), and the [signet neck] cord, and the staff.

²⁶ And Yehudah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more tzadekah than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah beni. And he knew her again no more.

²⁷ And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, hinei te’omim (twin boys) were in her beten.

²⁸ And it came to pass, when she travailed in labor, that the one put out his yad; and the midwife took and bound upon his yad a scarlet thread, saying, This came out rishonah (first).

²⁹ And it came to pass, as he drew back his yad, that, hinei, his brother came out; and she said, How hast paratzta (thou broken out)? This paretz (breach, breaking) be upon thee; therefore shmo was called Peretz [Breaking out].

³⁰ And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his yad; and shmo was called Zerach.

39 And Yosef was brought down to Mitzrayim; and Potiphar, a saris Pharaoh, Sar Hatabachim (captain of the bodyguard), a Mitzri, bought him of the hands of the Yishme’elim, which had brought him down to there.

² And Hashem was with Yosef, and he was an ish matzliach (a man [G-d] makes prosper); and he was in the bais adonav haMitzri.

³ And adonav saw that Hashem was with him, and that Hashem caused all that he did matzliach in his yad.

⁴ And Yosef found chen in his eyes, and he ministered to him; and he made him mefake’ach (overseer) over his bais, and all that he had he entrusted into his yad.

⁵ And it came to pass from the time that he had made him mefake’ach (overseer) in his bais, and over all that he had, that Hashem put a brocha on the bais haMitzri on account of Yosef; and the birkat Hashem was upon all that he had in the bais, and in the sadeh.

⁶ And he left all that he had in the yad Yosef; and he knew not ought he had, save the lechem which he did eat. And Yosef was yafeh to’ar (well built) and yafeh mareh (good looking).

⁷ And it came to pass after these things, that eshet adonav cast her eyes upon Yosef; and she said, Lie with me.

⁸ But he refused, and said unto eshet adonav, Look, with me [here], adoni knows not what is in the bais, and he hath entrusted all that he hath to my yad;

⁹ There is none gadol in this bais than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me except thee only, because thou art his isha; how then can I do hara’ah hagedolah hazot, and commit chattat against Elohim?

¹⁰ And it came to pass, as she spoke to Yosef yom yom, that he unto her lo shama (did not pay heed), to lie with her, or to be with her.

¹¹ And it came to pass about this time, that Yosef went into the bais to do his melachah (work); and there was none of the anshei habayit there within.

¹² And she caught him by his beged, saying, Lie with me; and he left his beged in her yad, and fled, and ran outside.

¹³ And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his beged in her yad, and had fled outside,

¹⁴ That she called unto her anshei habayit, and spoke unto them, saying, Look, he hath brought in unto us an ish Ivri to show disrespect and mock us. He came in unto me to lie with me, and I screamed with a kol gadol (loud voice);

¹⁵ And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and screamed, that he left his beged with me, and fled, and ran outside.

¹⁶ And she laid up his beged by her, until adonav came to his bais.

¹⁷ And she spoke unto him according to these words, saying, The eved HaIvri, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to show disrespect and mock me;

¹⁸ And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and screamed, that he left his beged with me, and fled outside.

¹⁹ And it came to pass, when adonav heard the words of his isha, which she spoke unto him, saying, After this manner did thy eved to me; that his wrath was kindled.

²⁰ And adonei Yosef took him, and put him into the bais hasohar, a place where the asirei HaMelech were prisoners; and he was there in the bais hasohar.

²¹ But Hashem was with Yosef, and showed him chesed, and gave him chen in the eyes of the sar bais hasohar.

²² And the sar bais hasohar entrusted to the yad Yosef all the asirim (prisoners) that were in the bais hasohar; and whatsoever they did there, he was the accomplisher of it.

²³ The sar bais hasohar looked not to anything that was under his [Yosef’s] yad; because Hashem was with him, and that which he did, Hashem made it to prosper.

40 And it came to pass after these things, that the mashkeh (cupbearer) Melech Mitzrayim and his ofeh (baker) had offended adoneihem Melech Mitzrayim.

² And Pharaoh was in wrath against two of his sarisim, against the sar hamashkim, and against the sar ha’ofim.

³ And he put them b’mishmar (under watch, in custody) in the bais sar hatabachim (house of the captain of the bodyguards), in the bais hasohar, in the makom (place) where Yosef was incarcerated.

⁴ And the sar hatabachim charged Yosef with them, and he ministered to them; and they continued a season b’mishmar (in custody, under watch).

⁵ And they dreamed a chalom both of them, each man his chalom in lailah echad (in one night, the same night), and each chalom with its own pitron (meaning, interpretation), the mashkeh and the ofeh of Melech Mitzrayim, which were prisoners in the bais hasohar.

⁶ And Yosef came in unto them in the boker, and looked upon them, and, hinei, they were zo’afim (troubled ones, sad ones).

⁷ And he asked the sarisim of Pharaoh that were with him b’mishmar (in the custody ward) of bais adonav, saying, Why look ye so ra’im (bad, downcast ones) hayom (today)?

⁸ And they said unto him, We have dreamed a chalom, and there is no poter (interpreter) of it. And Yosef said unto them, Do not pitronim (interpretations) belong to Elohim? Tell now to me.

⁹ And the sar hamashkim told his chalom to Yosef, and said to him, In my chalom, hinei, a gefen was before me;

¹⁰ And in the gefen were shloshah sarigim (three branches); and it was as soon as it budded, its blossom shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth anavim (ripe grapes);

¹¹ And the kos Pharaoh was in my yad; and I took the anavim (grapes), and pressed them into kos Pharaoh, and I put the kos into the palm of Pharaoh.

¹² And Yosef said unto him, This is the pitron (interpretation) of it; The shloshet hasarigim are shloshet yamim.

¹³ Within shloshet yamim shall Pharaoh lift up thine rosh, and restore thee unto thy ken (place, post); and thou shalt deliver kos Pharaoh into his yad, after the mishpat harishon (former practice) when thou wast his mashkeh.

¹⁴ But remember me [see Amos 6:6] when it shall be well with thee, and show chesed now unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this bais;

¹⁵ For indeed I was stolen away out of the Eretz HaIvrim; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the bor (dungeon).

¹⁶ When the sar ha’ofim saw that he had done the pitron well, he said unto Yosef, I also was in my chalom, and, hinei, I had shloshah salei chori (three baskets of cakes) on my rosh;

¹⁷ And in the sal haelyon (uppermost basket) there was all manner of food for Pharaoh; and ha’oph (the birds) did eat them out of the sal (basket) upon my rosh.

¹⁸ And Yosef answered and said, This is the pitron (interpretation, meaning) thereof: The shloshet hasalim (three baskets) are shloshet yamim.

¹⁹ Yet within shloshet yamim shall Pharaoh lift off thy rosh from on thee, and shall hang thee on an etz; and ha’oph (the birds) shall eat thy basar from off thee.

²⁰ And it came to pass on Yom HaShlishi, which was the yom huledet of Pharaoh, that he made a mishteh (feast) unto all his avadim; and he lifted up the rosh sar hamashkim and the rosh sar ha’ofim (head of the chief baker) in the midst of his avadim (officials).

²¹ He restored the sar hamashkim unto his mashkeh; and he gave the kos into the palm of Pharaoh;

²² But he hanged the sar ha’ofim: just as Yosef had made the pitron to them.

²³ Yet did not the sar hamashkim remember Yosef [see Amos 6:6] but forgot him.

[MIKETZ]

41 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed a chalom: and, hinei, he stood by haye’or (the River, i.e., the Nile).

² And, hinei, there came up out of haye’or (the River, i.e., the Nile) seven cows, fine in appearance and fat in basar; and they grazed on the riverbank.

³ And, hinei, seven other cows came up after them out of the Nile, ra’ot mareh (ugly in appearance) and dakot basar (gaunt ones in flesh, lean-fleshed); and stood by the other cows upon the bank of the Nile.

⁴ And the cows that were ra’ot hamareh and that were dakot habasar did devour the seven cows that were fine in appearance and fat. Then Pharaoh awoke.

⁵ And he slept and dreamed a chalom the second time; and, hinei, shivah heads of grain came up upon one stalk, beri’ot (fat ones) and tovot.

⁶ And, hinei, seven thin heads of grain scorched by the east wind tzomechot (sprung up) after them.

⁷ And the seven thin heads of grain devoured the seven fat and mele’ot (full) heads of grain. And Pharaoh awoke; and, hinei, it was a chalom!

⁸ And it came to pass in the boker that his ruach was troubled; and he sent and called for all the chartummei Mitzrayim (magicians of Egypt), and all the chachamim thereof; and Pharaoh told them his chalom; but there was no poter (interpreter) for Pharaoh.

⁹ Then the sar hamashkim spoke unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day.

¹⁰ Pharaoh was in wrath with his avadim, and put me b’mishmar (in custody) in the bais sar hatabbachim, both me and the sar ha’ofim;

¹¹ And we dreamed a chalom in the same lailah, I and he; and each chalom we dreamed had its own pitron (interpretation).

¹² And there was there with us a na’ar Ivri, eved to the sar hatabbachim; and we told him, and he interpreted to us chalomoteinu (our dreams); to each according to his chalom he did interpret.

¹³ And it was, just as he interpreted to us, so it came to pass; me he restored unto mine ken (post), and him he hanged.

¹⁴ Then Pharaoh sent and summoned Yosef, and they brought him hastily out of the bor (dungeon); and he shaved, and changed his clothes, and came in unto Pharaoh.

¹⁵ And Pharaoh said unto Yosef, I have dreamed a chalom, and there is no poter (interpreter) for it; and I have heard it said of thee, that thou canst understand a chalom to interpret it.

¹⁶ And Yosef answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me; Elohim shall give Pharaoh an answer of shalom.

¹⁷ And Pharaoh said unto Yosef, In my chalom, hineni, I stood upon the bank of the Nile;

¹⁸ And, hinei, there came up out of the Nile seven cows beri’ot basar (fat in body) and sleek of form; and they grazed by the riverbank.

¹⁹ And, hinei, seven other cows came up after them, dalot (poor, scrawny, thin) and ra’ot to’ar me’od (very ugly in appearance) and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in kol Eretz Mitzrayim, unacceptably bad;

²⁰ And the lean and the ra’ot cows did eat up the first seven fat cows;

²¹ And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still rah in appearance, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

²² And I saw in my chalom, and, hinei, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, mele’ot (full) and tovot (good);

²³ And, hinei, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and scorched with the east wind, tzomechot (sprung up) after them;

²⁴ And the thin heads of grain devoured the seven tov heads of grain; and I told this unto the chartummi (magicians); but there was none that could explain it to me.

²⁵ And Yosef said unto Pharaoh, The chalom of Pharaoh is echad: HaElohim hath revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do.

²⁶ The seven good cows are seven shanim; and the seven good heads of grain are seven shanim. The chalom is echad.

²⁷ And the seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are sheva shanim; and the seven empty heads of grain scorched by the east wind are sheva shnei ra’av (seven years of famine).

²⁸ This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh; What HaElohim is about to do He showeth unto Pharaoh.

²⁹ Hinei, there come sheva shanim of sava gadol (great fullness, plenty, abundance) throughout kol Eretz Mitzrayim.

³⁰ And there shall arise after them sheva shnei ra’av (seven years of famine) and kol hasava (all abundance) shall be forgotten in Eretz Mitzrayim; and the ra’av (famine) shall consume the land;

³¹ And the sava shall not be known in the land by reason of that ra’av (famine) following; for it shall be kaved me’od (very grievous).

³² And for that the chalom was doubled unto Pharaoh; it is because the thing is [decidedly] established by HaElohim, and HaElohim will shortly bring it to pass.

³³ Now therefore let Pharaoh select an ish navon and chochom (a man discerning and wise) and set him over Eretz Mitzrayim.

³⁴ Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint pekidim (officers, overseers, commissioners) over the land, and take up the fifth part [of the harvest] of Eretz Mitzrayim in the sheva shnei hasava.

³⁵ And let them gather kol ochel of those shanim hatovot that come, and store up grain under the yad Pharaoh, and let them be shomer over ochel in the cities.

³⁶ And that ochel shall be for reserves for the land against the sheva shnei hara’av, which shall be in Eretz Mitzrayim; that the land perish not through the ra’av.

³⁷ And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his avadim.

³⁸ And Pharaoh said unto his avadim, Can we find such an ish as this is, an ish in whom is the Ruach Elohim?

³⁹ And Pharaoh said unto Yosef, Forasmuch as Elohim hath showed thee all this, there is none so navon (discerning) and chochom (wise) as thou art;

⁴⁰ Thou shalt be over my bais (palace), and according unto thy mouth shall all my people order themselves; only with respect to the kisse will I be greater than thou.

⁴¹ And Pharaoh said unto Yosef, See, I have set thee over kol Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁴² And Pharaoh took off his taba’at (signet ring) from his yad, and put it upon yad Yosef, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a chain of zahav around his neck;

⁴³ And he made him to ride in the second merkavah which he had; and they cried before him, Avrech! And he put him over kol Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁴⁴ And Pharaoh said unto Yosef, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his yad or regel in kol Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁴⁵ And Pharaoh called shem Yosef Zaphnat Pa’neach; and he gave him as isha Asenat Bat Poti Phera kohen of On. And Yosef went out over all Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁴⁶ And Yosef was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim. And Yosef went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout kol Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁴⁷ And in the sheva shnei hasava the land brought forth by handfuls.

⁴⁸ And he gathered up kol ochel of the sheva shanim, which were in Eretz Mitzrayim, and laid up the ochel in the cities; the ochel of the sadeh, which surrounded every city, laid he up in the same.

⁴⁹ And Yosef gathered grain as the chol (sand) of the yam, very much, until he stopped counting; for it was without mispar (number).

⁵⁰ And unto Yosef were born two banim before the shnat ra’av came, which Asenat Bat Poti Phera kohen of On bore unto him.

⁵¹ And Yosef called the shem of the bechor Menasheh: For Elohim, said he nashani, (hath made me forget) all my amal, and kol bais Avi.

⁵² And the shem of the second called he Ephrayim: For Elohim hifrani (hath caused me to be fruitful) in the eretz of my oni (suffering).

⁵³ And the sheva shnei hasava that was in Eretz Mitzrayim were ended.

⁵⁴ And the sheva shnei hara’av began to come, just as Yosef had said; and the ra’av was in all lands; but in kol Eretz Mitzrayim there was lechem.

⁵⁵ And when kol Eretz Mitzrayim was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for lechem; and Pharaoh said unto kol Mitzrayim, Go unto Yosef; what he saith to you, do.

⁵⁶ And the ra’av (famine) was over kol pnei ha’aretz; and Yosef opened all that was in them, and sold unto the Mitzrayim; and the ra’av (famine) became severe in Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁵⁷ And kol HaAretz (all the world) came into Mitzrayim to Yosef to buy grain; because that the ra’av (famine) was so chazak in kol HaAretz.

42 Now when Ya’akov saw that there was shever (grain) in Mitzrayim, Ya’akov said unto his banim, Why do ye look one upon another?

² And he said, Hinei, I have heard that there is shever (grain) in Mitzrayim; get you down to there, and buy for us from there; that we may live, and not die.

³ Achei Yosef asarah (Yosef’s ten brothers) then went down to buy grain in Mitzrayim.

⁴ But Binyamin, achi Yosef, Ya’akov sent not with his achim; for he said, Lest ason (evil, harm) befall him.

⁵ And the Bnei Yisroel came to make purchase among those that were coming; for the ra’av (famine) was in Eretz Kena’an.

⁶ And Yosef was the Shalit Al HaAretz, and he it was that sold to kol Am HaAretz: and Achei Yosef came, and prostrated themselves before him with their faces to the ground.

⁷ And Yosef saw his achim, and he recognized them, but made himself a stranger unto them, and spoke roughly unto them; and he said unto them, From where come ye? And they said, From Eretz Kena’an to buy ochel.

⁸ And Yosef recognized his achim, but they recognized not him.

⁹ And Yosef remembered the chalomot which he dreamed about them, and said unto them, Ye are meragelim (spies); to see the ervat ha’aretz (nakedness of the land) ye came.

¹⁰ And they said unto him, Lo, adoni, but to buy okhel are thy avadim come.

¹¹ We are all bnei ish echad; we are truthful ones, thy avadim are no meragelim.

¹² And he said unto them, Lo, but to see the ervat ha’aretz ye came.

¹³ And they said, Thy avadim are Shneym Asar Achim, the bnei ish echad in Eretz Kena’an; and, hinei, the katon is today with Avinu, and one is not.

¹⁴ And Yosef said unto them, That is it just as I spoke unto you, Ye are meragelim;

¹⁵ Hereby ye shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth from here, except achichem hakaton (your youngest brother) come here.

¹⁶ Send one of you, and let him bring back achichem, and ye shall be kept prisoner, that your words may be tested, whether there be any emes in you; or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are meragelim (spies).

¹⁷ And he put them all together el-mishmar (in custody) shloshet yamim.

¹⁸ And Yosef said unto them on the Yom HaShlishi [see 1C 15:4 OJBC], This do, and live; for I fear HaElohim:

¹⁹ If ye be truthful ones, let one of your achim be bound in your bais mishmar; go ye, carry grain for the ra’avon (famine of) bateichem (your house);

²⁰ But bring achichem hakaton unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

²¹ And they said one to another, Surely we are ashemim (guilty ones) because of achinu (our brother), in that we saw the tzoros of his nefesh, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this tzoros come upon us.

²² And Reuven answered them, saying, Spoke I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the yeled; and ye would not hear? Therefore, hinei, the accounting for his dahm is required [of us (see Mt 27:25 OJBC)].

²³ And they had no da’as that Yosef understood them; for he spoke unto them by the melitz (go-between, interpreter).

²⁴ And he turned himself away from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and spoke with them, and took from them Shimon, and bound him before their eyes.

²⁵ Then Yosef commanded to fill their kelim with grain, and to restore every man’s kesef into his sack, and to give them provision for the derech; and thus did he unto them.

²⁶ And they loaded their chamorim with the grain, and departed from there.

²⁷ And as one of them opened his sack to get feed for his chamor in the malon (inn), he saw his kesef; for, hinei, it was in the mouth of his sack.

²⁸ And he said unto his achim, My kesef is restored; and, hinei, it is even in my sack; and their lev failed them, and they shook with fear, saying one to another, What is this that Elohim hath done unto us?

²⁹ And they came unto Ya’akov Avihem in Eretz Kena’an, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

³⁰ The ish, who is adonei HaAretz, spoke roughly to us, and took us for meragelim HaAretz.

³¹ And we said unto him, We are truthful ones; we are no meragelim;

³² We are Shneym Asar Achim, Bnei Avinu; one is not, and the katon is today with Avinu in Eretz Kena’an.

³³ And the ish, adonei HaAretz, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are truthful ones; leave one of your achim here with me, and that which is needful for the ra’avon bateichem (famine of your houses), take and be gone;

³⁴ And bring achichem hakaton unto me; then shall I know that ye are not meragelim, but that ye are truthful ones: so will I restore you achichem, and ye shall freely trade in the land.

³⁵ And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, hinei, every man’s pouch of kesef was in his sack; and when both they and Avihem saw the pouches of kesef, they were afraid.

³⁶ And Ya’akov Avihem said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children; Yosef is not, and Shimon is not, and ye will take Binyamin away; all these things are against me.

³⁷ And Reuven spoke unto Aviv, saying, Slay my two banim, if I bring him not to thee; entrust him into my yad, and I will bring him to thee again.

³⁸ And he said, Beni (my son) shall not go down with you; for achiv is dead, and he is left alone; if ason (harm, evil) befall him on the derech in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hair in yagon (sorrow) to Sheol.

43 And the ra’av (famine) was kaved (heavy, severe) in the land.

² And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the shever (grain) which they had brought out of Mitzrayim, then Avihem said unto them, Shuvu (return)! Buy for us a little ochel.

³ And Yehudah spoke unto him, saying, The ish did solemnly warn us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless achichem be with you.

⁴ If thou wilt send achinu (our brother) with us, we will go down and buy thee ochel;

⁵ But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down; for the ish said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, unless achichem be with you.

⁶ And Yisroel said, Why dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the ish whether ye had yet another ach (brother)?

⁷ And they said, The ish asked in detail about us and about our moledet (kindred), saying, Is Avichem yet alive? Have ye another ach? And we declared to him according to these words of [his inquiry]; could we certainly know that he would say, Bring down achichem?

⁸ And Yehudah said unto Yisroel Aviv, Send na’ar with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

⁹ I will be surety for him; of my yad shalt thou require an accounting for him; if I bring him not back unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame kol hayamim;

¹⁰ For if we had not delayed, surely now we had returned zeh pa’amayim (this second time).

¹¹ And Yisroel Avihem said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of mizimerat HaAretz (the best fruits of the land) in your kelim (vessels), and carry down to the ish a minchah (present), a little balm, and a little devash (honey), nekhot (spices), loht (myrrh), batenim (pistachio nuts), and shekedim (almonds):

¹² And take kesef mishneh (double money) in your yad; and the kesef that was returned in the mouth of your sacks, carry it back in your yad; perhaps it was mishgeh (mistake);

¹³ Take also achichem, and arise, shuvu (return) unto the ish;

¹⁴ And El Shaddai give you rachamim before the ish, that he may send away achichem acher (your other brother), and Binyamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

¹⁵ And the anashim took that minchah, and they took mishneh kesef (double money) in their yad and Binyamin; and rose up, and went down to Mitzrayim, and stood before Yosef.

¹⁶ And when Yosef saw Binyamin with them, he said to the ish over Bais Yosef, Bring these anashim home, and slaughter the tevach, and make ready; for these anashim shall dine with me at tzahorayim (noon).

¹⁷ And the ish did as Yosef said; and the ish brought the anashim to the house of Yosef.

¹⁸ And the anashim were afraid, because they were brought into Bais Yosef; and they said, Because of the kesef 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 seize us for avadim, and chamoreinu (our donkeys).

¹⁹ And they came near to the ish over Bais Yosef, and they spoke with him at the petach habayit,

²⁰ And said, O adoni, we came indeed down at the first time to buy ochel:

²¹ And it came to pass, when we came to the malon, that we opened our sacks, and, hinei, kesef ish (every man’s money) was in the mouth of his sack, our kesef in full weight; and we have brought it back again in our yad.

²² And kesef acher (other money) have we brought down in our hands to buy ochel; we cannot tell who put our kesef in our sacks.

²³ And he said, Shalom lachem, fear not; Eloheichem, and Elohei Avichem, hath given you matmon (treasure) in your sacks; I had your kesef. And he brought Shimon out unto them.

²⁴ And the ish brought the anashim into the house of Yosef, and gave them mayim, and they washed their raglayim; and he gave their chamorim mispo (fodder).

²⁵ And they made ready the minchah for bo Yosef (coming of Yosef) at tzahorayim; for they heard that they would eat lechem there.

²⁶ And when Yosef came home, they presented him the minchah which was in their yad in the house, and prostrated themselves to the ground before him.

²⁷ And he asked them l’shalom (about their welfare), and said, Is there shalom with avichem, the zaken of whom ye spoke? Is he still alive?

²⁸ And they answered, There is shalom with thy eved avinu; he is still alive. And they bowed their heads, and prostrated themselves.

²⁹ And he lifted up his eyes, and saw achiv Binyamin, ben immo, and said, Is this achichem hakaton (your younger brother), of whom ye spoke unto me? And he said, Elohim be gracious unto thee, beni.

³⁰ And Yosef made haste; for his compassion was stirred upon achiv (his brother); and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his cheder, and wept there.

³¹ And he washed his face, and went out, and controlled himself, and said, Serve lechem.

³² And they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Mitzrim (Egyptians), which did eat with him, by themselves; because Mitzrim could not eat lechem with the Ivrim; for that is a to’evah (abomination) unto the Mitzrim.

³³ And they sat before him, the bechor according to his bechorah (birthright), and the youngest according to his youth; and the anashim marvelled one with another.

³⁴ And he took and sent masot (portions) unto them from before him; but masat Binyamin was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank, and feasted with him.

44 And he commanded the ish over Bais Yosef, saying, Fill the sacks of the anashim with ochel, as much as they can carry, and put kesef ish in the mouth of his sack.

² And put my cup, gevi’a hakesef (cup of silver), in the mouth of the sack of the katon, and his kesef for shever (grain). And he did according to the davar Yosef had spoken.

³ As soon as the boker ohr, the anashim were sent away, they and their chamorim.

⁴ And when they were gone out of the ir, and not yet far off, Yosef said unto the ish over Bais Yosef, Up, follow after the anashim; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded ra’ah for tovah?

⁵ Is not this it in which adoni drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? Ye have done ra’ah in so doing.

⁶ And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these same devarim.

⁷ And they said unto him, Wherefore saith adoni these words? Chalilah (far be it) that thy avadim should do according to this thing;

⁸ Hinei, the kesef, which we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back unto thee out of Eretz Kena’an; how then should we be ganavim stealing kesef or zahav out of the bais adonecha?

⁹ With whomsoever of thy avadim it be found, both let him die, and we also will be avadim of adoni.

¹⁰ And he said, Now also let it be according unto your devarim; he with whom it is found shall be to me eved; and ye shall be nekiyim (blameless).

¹¹ Then they speedily took down every ish his sack to the ground, and opened every ish his sack.

¹² And he searched, and began at the gadol (eldest), and ended at the katon (youngest); and the gevi’a (cup, goblet) was found in the sack of Binyamin.

¹³ Then they tore their garments, and loaded every ish his chamor, and returned to the ir.

¹⁴ And Yehudah and his achim came to Bais Yosef; for he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.

¹⁵ And Yosef said unto them, What ma’aseh (deed) is this that ye have done? Know ye not that an ish like me can find things out as a menachesh (diviner)?

¹⁶ And Yehudah said, What shall we say unto adoni? What shall we speak? Or how hall we clear ourselves? HaElohim hath found out the avon (iniquity) of thy avadim; look at us, we are now avadim la’adoni, both we, and he also with whom the gevi’a (cup) is found.

¹⁷ And he [Yosef] said, Chalilah that I should do so; but the ish in whose yad the gevi’a is found, he shall be to me eved; and as for you, go back in shalom unto avichem.

[VAYIGGASH]

¹⁸ Then Yehudah came near unto him, and said, Oh, adoni, let thy eved speak now a davar in oznei adoni, and let not thine anger burn against thy eved; for thou art even like Pharaoh.

¹⁹ Adoni asked his avadim, saying, Have ye an av, or an ach?

²⁰ And we said unto adoni, We have an av, a zaken, and a yeled zekunim katan (child of his old age, a little one); and achiv is dead, and he alone is left of immo, and aviv loveth him.

²¹ And thou saidst unto thy avadim, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

²² And we said unto adoni, The na’ar cannot leave aviv; for if he should leave aviv, aviv would die.

²³ And thou saidst unto thy avadim, Except achichem hakaton (your youngest brother) come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

²⁴ And it came to pass when we came up unto thy eved Avi we told him the divrei adoni.

²⁵ And avinu said, Shuvu, (go back, return) and buy us a little ochel.

²⁶ And we said, We cannot go down; if achinu hakaton (our youngest brother) be with us, then will we go down; for we may not see the face of HaIsh, except achinu hakaton be with us.

²⁷ And thy eved Avi said unto us, Ye know that my wife bore me two banim;

²⁸ And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn to pieces; and I saw him not ad-hennah (until now);

²⁹ And if ye take this also from me, and ason (evil, harm) befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hair in ra’ah (misery) to Sheol.

³⁰ Now therefore when I come to thy eved Avi, and the na’ar be not with us; seeing that his nefesh is bound up in the nefesh of the na’ar;

³¹ It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the na’ar is not with us, that he will die; and thy avadim shall bring down the gray hair of thy eved avinu with yagon (sorrow) to Sheol,

³² For thy eved became surety for the na’ar unto Avi, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame before Avi kol hayamim.

³³ Therefore, let thy eved, now, abide instead of the na’ar, an eved to adoni; and let the na’ar go up with his achim.

³⁴ For how shall I go up to Avi, and the na’ar be not with me? Lest I see the rah that would overtake Avi.