創世記 42
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
約瑟的哥哥們到埃及買糧
42 雅各知道埃及有糧食，就對兒子們說：「你們為什麼還在這兒互相觀望呢？ 2 我聽說埃及有糧食，你們快到埃及去買些糧食回來吧，免得我們餓死。」 3 於是，約瑟的十個哥哥下到埃及買糧。 4 雅各不肯讓約瑟的弟弟便雅憫與他們同去，恐怕他會遭害。 5 以色列的兒子們加入了買糧的行列，因為迦南也鬧饑荒。
6 那時，約瑟治理埃及，負責賣糧。約瑟的哥哥們來到他面前，向他俯伏下拜。 7 約瑟一眼就認出了他們，卻不動聲色。他疾言厲色地問道：「你們從哪裡來？」他們回答說：「我們是從迦南來買糧食的。」 8 約瑟認得他哥哥們，但他哥哥們卻認不出他來。 9 約瑟想起了自己從前做的兩個夢，就對他們說：「你們是奸細，是來探聽我們虛實的！」 10 他們說：「我主啊，不是的！僕人們是來買糧的。 11 僕人們都是弟兄，是誠實人，不是奸細。」
12 約瑟說：「不對，你們是來探聽我們虛實的。」 13 他們說：「僕人們共有弟兄十二人，父親住在迦南，最年幼的弟弟留在父親身邊，還有一個已經去世。」 14 約瑟說：「我說你們是奸細一點不錯。 15 我以法老的性命起誓，你們最小的弟弟不來這裡，你們都不能走，這是對你們的驗證。 16 你們派一個人回去把你們的弟弟帶來，其他人都要被囚禁在這裡，我要看看你們說的是真還是假。要是你們說的是假話，我以法老的性命起誓，你們一定是奸細。」 17 於是，約瑟把他們囚禁了三天。
18 到了第三天，約瑟對他們說：「我是敬畏上帝的人，你們照我的話做就能活命。 19 如果你們是誠實人，就把一個人留在監裡，其他人帶糧食回去接濟你們的家人。 20 但你們一定要帶你們最小的弟弟回來，以證實你們說的是實話，這樣你們就不會被處死。」他們同意了， 21 彼此議論說：「我們一定是在遭報應。從前我們的弟弟苦苦地哀求我們，我們卻不理會，現在這場痛苦臨到我們了。」 22 呂便說：「我不是勸你們不要犯罪害那孩子嗎？你們不聽，現在我們必須償還血債了。」 23 他們不知道約瑟聽得懂他們的話，因為約瑟是通過翻譯跟他們談話。 24 約瑟聽後轉身出去哭了，然後又回來跟他們談話，從他們中間選了西緬，當著他們的面把西緬捆綁起來。
25 約瑟又吩咐人把他們的袋子裝滿糧食，把各人買糧的錢放在他們的口袋中，還為他們預備了路上的食物。僕人一一辦妥了。 26 約瑟的哥哥們把糧食馱在驢上，啟程回去了。 27 他們來到一處住宿的地方，其中一人打開口袋拿飼料餵驢，卻發現裡面有錢， 28 就對其他弟兄說：「你們看，我的錢又回來了，在我的口袋裡！」他們心驚膽戰地彼此議論說：「上帝這樣對待我們是什麼意思呢？」
29 他們回到迦南父親雅各那裡，把事情的經過告訴了他， 30 說：「埃及的宰相對我們說話很凶，還把我們當成奸細。 31 我們對他說，『我們是誠實人，不是奸細。 32 我們有十二個同胞弟兄，其中有一個已經去世，年紀最小的跟父親留在迦南。』 33 那人卻對我們說，『我要看看你們是不是誠實人，你們把一個弟兄留在我這裡，其他人帶糧食回去接濟家人吧。 34 但你們要把最小的弟弟帶來見我，這樣我便知道你們不是奸細，是誠實人。我就會釋放你們的弟兄，你們也可以在這裡自由地買賣。』」
35 後來他們倒口袋時，發現每個人買糧的錢袋都在自己的口袋裡，他們和父親見此情形，都害怕起來。 36 雅各說：「你們使我連連失去兒子，約瑟沒了，西緬沒了，你們還要帶走便雅憫！災禍都落在了我頭上！」 37 呂便對父親說：「要是我不把便雅憫帶回你身邊，你就殺了我的兩個兒子吧！請你把便雅憫放心地交給我，我一定會把他帶回你身邊。」 38 雅各說：「我的兒子不可跟你們去。他哥哥已經死了，現在只剩下他。要是他在路上遇到什麼意外，你們會使我這白髮蒼蒼的老人淒淒慘慘地進墳墓。」
Genesis 42
EasyEnglish Bible
Joseph's brothers go to Egypt[a]
42 Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt. So he said to his sons, ‘There is no food here, so why are you just sitting there? 2 I have heard that there is food in Egypt. Go there and buy some for us. Then we may continue to live and not die.’
3 So ten of Joseph's brothers went to Egypt to buy food. 4 But Jacob did not send his youngest son, Benjamin, with them. Jacob was afraid that something bad might happen to Benjamin. 5 Jacob's sons went to Egypt, as well as other people who went there to buy food. They all went to Egypt because there was a bad famine in Canaan.
6 Joseph had authority to rule Egypt at that time. He was the man who sold food to all the Egyptians. When Joseph's brothers arrived there, they bent down in front of him, with their faces to the ground.[b]
7 As soon as Joseph saw the men, he knew that they were his brothers. But he spoke to them as if they were strangers. He did not speak to them in a kind way. He asked them, ‘Where do you come from?’ They replied, ‘We come from the land of Canaan. We have come here to buy food.’ 8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.[c]
9 Then Joseph remembered the dream that he had dreamed about his brothers. He said to them, ‘You have come here secretly to see how your people can attack our land.’ 10 They replied ‘No, my lord, that is not true! We are your servants and we have come to buy food. 11 We are all the sons of one man. We are honest men. We are not your enemies.’
12 But Joseph said, ‘No! You have come here to see if our country is weak so that you can attack us.’ 13 Joseph's brothers replied, ‘We belong to a family of 12 brothers. We are the sons of one man who lives in Canaan. Our youngest brother stayed at home with our father. One other brother is not with us any more.’ 14 Joseph said to them, ‘It is as I told you. You are our enemies! 15 I will see if what you say is true. This is what I will do. I promise by the life of Pharaoh himself, I will not let you leave this place.[d] You must first bring your youngest brother here. I will only let you go after that. 16 One of you must go to bring your brother here. I will keep you others in prison. In that way I will know if what you said is true. If your youngest brother does not come, then I will certainly know that you are enemies!’
17 Then Joseph put his brothers in prison for three days.
18 On the third day Joseph said to them, ‘Do what I say. Then you will stay alive, because I respect God.[e] 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison. The other brothers can go back to Canaan. You may take food back with you, because your families are hungry. 20 But you must return to Egypt and you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that what you have said is true. Then you will not die.’ Joseph's brothers agreed to do what he told them.
21 The brothers said to each other, ‘This punishment is happening to us because of what we did to Joseph. We saw how upset he was when he asked us not to kill him. But we refused to be kind to him. That is why we have all this trouble.’ 22 Reuben said, ‘I told you not to do anything bad to the boy. But you would not agree! We killed him and now we must receive the punishment.’ 23 While they said all this, they did not know that Joseph could understand them. Joseph had been speaking in the Egyptian language and someone else told the brothers his message in Hebrew.[f]
24 Joseph went away from his brothers and he began to weep. But then he returned to speak to them again. While they watched, Joseph told his men to tie Simeon's hands and take him away. 25 Then Joseph told his servants to fill the brothers' bags with food. He also told them to put each man's money back into his bag.[g] He told them to give the brothers enough food for their journey. The servants did what Joseph told them. 26 Then the brothers put the bags of food on to their donkeys. Then they left.
27 They travelled until they reached a place to sleep that night. One of the brothers opened his bag to get food for his donkey. Then he saw his money inside his bag, at the top. 28 He said to his brothers, ‘They have given back my money! Here it is in my bag!’ All the brothers were upset and frightened. They asked each other, ‘What has God done to us?’
29 After some time they arrived back in Canaan. They went to their father, Jacob. They told him everything that had happened to them. 30 They said, ‘We met the man who is lord over Egypt. He spoke strong words to us. He thought that we were enemies who had come to find a way to attack Egypt. 31 But we said to him, “We are honest men. We are not your enemies. 32 We belong to a family of 12 brothers, all the sons of one father. One brother is not with us any more, and the youngest brother is at home with our father in Canaan.” 33 Then the man who is lord over Egypt said, “I want to know if you are honest men. This is what I will do. You must leave one of your brothers here, with me. Then take food for your hungry families and leave Egypt. 34 But then you must bring your youngest brother here to me. If you do that, I will know that you are really honest men. I will know that you are not our enemies. Then I will give your brother back to you. You will be able to stay in Egypt and you can buy and sell things here.” ’
35 The brothers started to take the food out of their bags. And in their bags, they found each man's money! When the brothers and their father saw the money, they were frightened. 36 Their father Jacob said to them, ‘You are taking my children away from me! Joseph is not here any more. Simeon also is not here. Now you want to take Benjamin away from me. Everything that happens is hurting me!’
37 Then Reuben said to his father, Jacob, ‘I will bring Benjamin back to you. If I do not, then you can kill both of my sons. Trust me to take care of him. I will bring him back.’ 38 But Jacob said, ‘My son will not go with you. His brother is already dead. Benjamin is the only one left. Something bad may happen to him on your journey. I am already an old man. If I lose Benjamin, I would be so sad that I would die.’[h]
Footnotes
- 42:1 Jacob is living in Canaan with his sons, except for Joseph. There is no food in Canaan, but Jacob knows that there is food in Egypt.
- 42:6 Joseph's first dream showed his brothers bending down to respect him.
- 42:8 Joseph was only 17 years old when they sold him as a slave. He now looked like an Egyptian. That is why they did not recognize him. Probably he spoke to his brothers in the language of Egypt. Then a man who could speak Hebrew told the brothers what Joseph had said.
- 42:15 Joseph made a promise ‘by the life of Pharaoh’. He wanted to show his brothers that he meant what he said.
- 42:18 Joseph showed his brothers that he was under God's authority, so he would not cheat them.
- 42:23 The brothers still did not know that the important officer was Joseph. They thought that he was an Egyptian. They did not know that he spoke Hebrew too.
- 42:25 The brothers had brought the money to pay for the food.
- 42:38 Benjamin is Jacob's youngest son. Benjamin's mother was Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel more than he loved his other wives. Jacob thinks that Joseph, Rachel's other son is dead. Jacob shows that he loves Benjamin more than he loves his other sons. Even when Simeon is in prison, Jacob does not want Benjamin to go to Egypt.
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