18 Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for (A)I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in [a]your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and (B)bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, “(C)Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; for that reason this distress has happened to us.” 22 Reuben answered them, saying, “(D)Did I not tell [b]you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? [c](E)Now justice for his blood is required.” 23 They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and (F)wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he (G)took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 (H)Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, but also to return every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And that is what was done for them.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 42:19 Lit the house of your prison
  2. Genesis 42:22 Lit you, saying,
  3. Genesis 42:22 Lit And behold, his blood also is required

18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:(A) 19 If you are honest men,(B) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,(C) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.(D) 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me,(E) 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.(F) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress(G) has come on us.”

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

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

25 Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain,(O) to put each man’s silver back in his sack,(P) and to give them provisions(Q) for their journey.(R) After this was done for them,

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18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

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

21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.

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