Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,^(A) 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,^(B) so that we may live and not die.”^(C)

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

⁶ Now Joseph was the governor of the land,^(J) the person who sold grain to all its people.^(K) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.^{(L) 7} As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.^(M) “Where do you come from?”^(N) he asked.

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

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

¹⁰ “No, my lord,^(S)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.^{(T) 11} We are all the sons of one man. Your servants^(U) are honest men,^(V) not spies.^(W)”

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

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

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

¹⁸ On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:^{(AJ) 19} If you are honest men,^(AK) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,^(AL) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.^{(AM) 20} But you must bring your youngest brother to me,^(AN) so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

²¹ They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.^(AO) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress^(AP) has come on us.”

²² Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?^(AQ) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting^(AR) for his blood.”^{(AS) 23} They did not realize^(AT) that Joseph could understand them,^(AU) since he was using an interpreter.

²⁴ He turned away from them and began to weep,^(AV) but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.^(AW)

²⁵ Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain,^(AX) to put each man’s silver back in his sack,^(AY) and to give them provisions^(AZ) for their journey.^(BA) After this was done for them, ²⁶ they loaded their grain on their donkeys^(BB) and left.

²⁷ At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey,^(BC) and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.^{(BD) 28} “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”

Their hearts sank^(BE) and they turned to each other trembling^(BF) and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”^(BG)

¹¹ Then their father Israel^(A) said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products^(B) of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift^(C)—a little balm^(D) and a little honey, some spices^(E) and myrrh,^(F) some pistachio nuts and almonds. ¹² Take double the amount^(G) of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks.^(H) Perhaps it was a mistake. ¹³ Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.^{(I) 14} And may God Almighty^[a](J) grant you mercy^(K) before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you.^(L) As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”^(M)

¹⁵ So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver,^(N) and Benjamin also. They hurried^(O) down to Egypt and presented themselves^(P) to Joseph. ¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin^(Q) with them, he said to the steward of his house,^(R) “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal;^(S) they are to eat with me at noon.”

¹⁷ The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house.^{(T) 18} Now the men were frightened^(U) when they were taken to his house.^(V) They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks^(W) the first time. He wants to attack us^(X) and overpower us and seize us as slaves^(Y) and take our donkeys.^(Z)”

¹⁹ So they went up to Joseph’s steward^(AA) and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. ²⁰ “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.^{(AB) 21} But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.^{(AC) 22} We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

²³ “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father,^(AD) has given you treasure in your sacks;^(AE) I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.^(AF)

²⁴ The steward took the men into Joseph’s house,^(AG) gave them water to wash their feet^(AH) and provided fodder for their donkeys. ²⁵ They prepared their gifts^(AI) for Joseph’s arrival at noon,^(AJ) because they had heard that they were to eat there.

²⁶ When Joseph came home,^(AK) they presented to him the gifts^(AL) they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.^{(AM) 27} He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father^(AN) you told me about? Is he still living?”^(AO)

²⁸ They replied, “Your servant our father^(AP) is still alive and well.” And they bowed down,^(AQ) prostrating themselves before him.^(AR)

²⁹ As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son,^(AS) he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?”^(AT) And he said, “God be gracious to you,^(AU) my son.” ³⁰ Deeply moved^(AV) at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept^(AW) there.

Joseph Makes Himself Known

45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself^(A) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”^(B) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept^(C) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.^(D)

³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”^(E) But his brothers were not able to answer him,^(F) because they were terrified at his presence.^(G)

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”^(H) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!^{(I) 5} And now, do not be distressed^(J) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,^(K) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.^{(L) 6} For two years now there has been famine^(M) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant^(N) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^[a](O)

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.^(P) He made me father^(Q) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.^{(R) 9} Now hurry^(S) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.^{(T) 10} You shall live in the region of Goshen^(U) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.^{(V) 11} I will provide for you there,^(W) because five years of famine^(X) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’^(Y)

¹² “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,^(Z) that it is really I who am speaking to you.^{(AA) 13} Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt^(AB) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.^(AC)”

¹⁴ Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin^(AD) embraced him,^(AE) weeping. ¹⁵ And he kissed^(AF) all his brothers and wept over them.^(AG) Afterward his brothers talked with him.^(AH)