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The Dreams Come True

42 Jacob ·learned [L saw] that there was grain in Egypt, so he said to his sons, “Why are you just sitting here looking at one another? I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us to eat, so that we will live and not die.”

So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with them, because he was afraid that ·something terrible [a fatal accident; harm; tragedy] might happen to him. Along with many other people, the sons of Israel [C Jacob’s other name] went to Egypt to buy grain, because ·the people in the land of Canaan were also hungry [L there was famine in the land of Canaan].

Now Joseph was ·governor [administrator] over ·Egypt [L the land]. He was the one who sold the grain to people ·who came to buy it [L of the land/earth]. So Joseph’s brothers came to him and bowed facedown on the ground before him. When Joseph saw his brothers, he ·knew who they were [recognized them], but he ·acted as if he didn’t know them [treated them as strangers/foreigners]. He asked ·unkindly [harshly], “Where do you come from?”

They answered, “We have come from the land of Canaan to buy food.”

Joseph ·knew they were [recognized] his brothers, but they did not ·know who he was [recognize him]. And Joseph remembered his dreams ·about his brothers bowing to him [L which he dreamed about them; 37:5–11]. He said to them, “You are spies! You came to ·learn where the nation is weak [L see the nakedness of the land]!”

10 But his brothers said to him, “No, my ·master [lord]. We come as your servants just to buy food. 11 We are all sons of the same father. We are honest men, not spies.”

12 Then Joseph said to them, “No! You have come to ·learn where this nation is weak [L see the nakedness of the land]!”

13 And they said, “·We [L Your servants] are ·ten of twelve [L twelve] brothers, sons of the same father, and we live in the land of Canaan. Our ·youngest [smallest] brother is there with our father right now, and ·our other brother is gone [L one is no more].”

14 But Joseph said to them, “·I can see I was right [L It is as I spoke to you]! You are spies! 15 But ·I will give you a way to prove you are telling the truth [L in this way you will be tested]. As surely as ·the king [L Pharaoh] lives, you will not ·leave [go out from] this place ·until [or unless] your ·youngest [smallest] brother comes here. 16 One of you must go and get your brother. The rest of you will stay here in prison. We will ·see if you are telling the truth [L test your words/statements]. If not, as surely as ·the king [L Pharaoh] lives, you are spies.” 17 Then Joseph put them all in ·prison [the guardhouse] for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “[L For] I ·am a God-fearing man [fear God]. Do this and I will let you live: 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in ·prison [the guardhouse] while the rest of you go and carry grain ·back to feed your hungry families [L for your families because of the famine]. 20 Then bring your ·youngest [smallest] brother back here to me. If you do this, ·I will know you are telling the truth [L your words will be confirmed], and you will not die.”

The brothers agreed to this. 21 They said to each other, “[L Alas,] We are ·being punished [or guilty] for what we did to our brother. We saw ·his trouble [the distress of his soul], and he ·begged us to save him [pleaded with us], but we ·refused to [L did not] listen. That is why we are in this ·trouble [distress] now.”

22 Then Reuben said to them, “·I told [L Did I not tell…?] you not to ·harm [wrong; sin against] the ·boy [child], but you ·refused to [L did not] listen to me. So now ·we are being punished for what we did to him [L there is a reckoning for his blood].”

23 When Joseph talked to his brothers, he used an ·interpreter [or intermediary], so they did not know that Joseph understood what they were saying. 24 Then Joseph left them and cried. After a short time he went back and spoke to them. He took Simeon and ·tied [bound] him ·up while the other brothers watched [L before their eyes]. 25 Joseph ·told his servants [L gave the command/order] to fill his brothers’ bags with grain and to put ·the money the brothers had paid for the grain [L their silver] back in their bags. ·The servants [L They] were also to give them ·what they would need [provisions] for their trip back home. And ·the servants [L they] did this.

26 So the brothers ·put [lifted] the grain on their donkeys and left. 27 When ·they stopped for the night [at the lodging place], one of the brothers opened his sack to get ·food [fodder] for his donkey. Then he saw his ·money [silver] in the top of the sack. 28 He said to the other brothers, “·The money I paid for the grain [L My money/silver] has been put back. Here it is in [L the mouth of] my sack!”

The brothers ·were very frightened [L lost heart and trembled]. They said to each other, “What has God done to us?”

The Brothers Return to Jacob

29 The brothers went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him everything that had happened. 30 They said, “The master of that land spoke ·unkindly [harshly] to us. He accused us of spying on his country, 31 but we told him that we were honest men, not spies. 32 We told him that we ·were ten of twelve [L are twelve] brothers—sons of one father. We said that one of our brothers was ·gone [L no more] and that our ·youngest [smallest] brother was with our father in Canaan.

33 “Then the master of the land said to us, ‘Here is a way I can know you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain to feed ·your hungry [L because of the famine for your] families, and go. 34 And bring your ·youngest [smallest] brother to me so I will know you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give you back your brother whom you leave with me, and you can ·move about freely [or trade] in our land.’ ”

35 As the brothers emptied their sacks, each of them ·found his money [saw his bundle of money/silver] in his sack. When they and their father saw it, they were afraid.

36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are ·robbing [bereaving] me of all my children. Joseph is ·gone [L no more], Simeon is ·gone [L no more], and now you want to take Benjamin away, too. Everything is against me.”

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put my two sons to death if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. ·Trust him to my care [L Put him in my hands], and I will bring him back to you.”

38 But Jacob said, “·I will not allow Benjamin to go [L My son will not go down] with you. His brother is dead, and he ·is the only son left from my wife Rachel [L alone is left]. I am afraid something ·terrible [disastrous; tragic] might happen to him during the trip to Egypt. Then ·I would be sad until the day I die [L you would bring my gray hair down to Sheol in anguish].”

雅各差遣眾子往埃及買糧

42 雅各見埃及有糧食,就對兒子們說:“你們為甚麼彼此對望呢?” 他又說:“我聽說埃及有糧食,你們下到那裡去,給我們買些糧食,使我們可以活下去,不至餓死。” 於是,約瑟的十個哥哥就下去了,要從埃及買五穀。 但雅各並沒有打發約瑟的弟弟便雅憫與哥哥們同去,因為雅各說:“恐怕他會遇到災害。” 以色列的眾子也在前來買糧的人群中,因為迦南地也有饑荒。 當時治理埃及地的官長是約瑟,賣糧給那地所有的人民的就是他。所以,約瑟的哥哥們來俯伏在地向他下拜。 約瑟看見他的哥哥們,就認得他們,可是他裝作陌生人,對他們說嚴厲的話,問他們:“你們是哪裡來的?”他們回答:“我們是迦南地來買糧食的。”

約瑟認得他的哥哥們,他們卻不認得他。 約瑟想起從前所作關於他們的兩個夢,就對他們說:“你們是間諜,是來偵察本地的虛實。” 10 他們對他說:“我主啊,不是這樣,僕人們實在是來買糧食的。 11 我們都是一個人的兒子,是誠實人;僕人們並不是間諜。” 12 約瑟對他們說:“不是的,你們實在是來偵察本地的虛實。” 13 他們說:“僕人們本是兄弟十二人,我們都是迦南地一個人的兒子。最小的現在與我們的父親在一起,還有一個不在了。” 14 約瑟對他們說:“我剛才對你們說:‘你們是間諜。’這話實在不錯。 15 我要這樣試試你們:我指著法老的性命起誓,如果你們最小的弟弟不到這裡來,你們就決不得離開這裡。 16 你們可以派你們中間一個人回去,把你們的弟弟帶來;其餘的人都要囚禁起來,好證明你們的話真實不真實。如果不真實,我指著法老的性命起誓,你們就是間諜。” 17 於是,約瑟把他們收在監房裡三天。

18 到了第三天,約瑟對他們說:“我是敬畏 神的,你們要這樣作,就可以活著; 19 如果你們是誠實人,就叫你們兄弟中一個人囚禁在監裡,你們其餘的人可以帶著糧食回去,解救你們家人的饑荒。 20 然後把你們最小的弟弟帶到我這裡來,這樣,就可以證明你們的話是真實的,你們就不必死了。”他們就照樣作了。 21 他們彼此說:“我們在對待弟弟的事上實在有罪。他向我們求情的時候,我們看見他心裡的痛苦,卻不肯聽他,所以這次苦難臨到我們身上了。” 22 流本回答他們,說:“我不是對你們說過:‘不要傷害那孩子’嗎?可是你們不肯聽,現在流他血的罪要向我們追討。” 23 他們不知道約瑟聽得明白,因為他們中間有人當傳譯。 24 約瑟轉身離開他們,哭了一陣,又回到他們那裡,與他們說話。然後從他們中間拉出西緬來,在他們眼前把他捆綁起來。

雅各的眾子返回迦南

25 約瑟吩咐人把五穀裝滿他們的袋,把他們的銀子放回各人的布袋裡;又給他們路上用的食物。一切就照樣辦了。 26 他們把糧食馱在他們的驢上,離開那裡去了。 27 到了住宿的地方,他們其中的一個人打開了布袋,要拿飼料餵驢的時候,才發現自己的銀子還在袋口那裡。 28 於是對兄弟們說:“我的銀子都歸還了。你們看,就在我的布袋裡。”他們就心裡驚慌,彼此戰戰兢兢地說:“ 神向我們作的是甚麼呢?”

29 他們回到迦南地他們的父親雅各那裡,把他們遭遇的一切事都告訴了他,說: 30 “那地的主人對我們說了一些嚴厲的話,把我們當作偵察那地的間諜。 31 我們對他說:‘我們是誠實人,並不是間諜。 32 我們本是兄弟十二人,都是一個父親的兒子;有一個不在了,最小的現在與我們的父親一起在迦南地。’ 33 那地的主人對我們說:‘我用這個辦法就可以知道你們是不是誠實人:你們兄弟中要留下一人在我這裡,其餘的人可以帶著糧食回去,解救你們家人的饑荒。 34 然後把你們最小的弟弟帶到我這裡來,我就知道你們不是間諜,而是誠實人了。這樣,我就把你們的兄弟交還給你們,你們也可以在這地自由來往。’”

35 後來他們倒布袋的時候,不料各人的銀包仍然在各人的布袋裡。他們和他們的父親看見了銀包,就都懼怕起來。 36 他們的父親雅各對他們說:“你們總是使我喪失兒子:約瑟沒有了,西緬也沒有了,你們還要把便雅憫帶走;每一件事都是針對我。” 37 流本對他父親說:“如果我不把他帶回來給你,你可以殺死我的兩個兒子;只管把他交給我吧,我必把他帶回來給你。” 38 雅各說:“我的兒子不可與你們一同下去,因為他的哥哥死了,只剩下他一個;如果他在你們所走的路上遇到不幸,你們就使我這白髮老人愁愁苦苦地下陰間去了。”

42 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.

And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

17 And he put them all together into ward three days.

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.

26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.

28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?

29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:

34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.

35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

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?” 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)

Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain(D) from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin,(E) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.(F) 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)

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) 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.”

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.(O) 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)

29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan,(BH) they told him all that had happened to them.(BI) They said, 30 “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us(BJ) and treated us as though we were spying on the land.(BK) 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.(BL) 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’(BM)

33 “Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go.(BN) 34 But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men.(BO) Then I will give your brother back to you,(BP) and you can trade[a] in the land.(BQ)’”

35 As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver!(BR) When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.(BS) 36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more,(BT) and now you want to take Benjamin.(BU) Everything is against me!(BV)

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care,(BW) and I will bring him back.”(BX)

38 But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead(BY) and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him(BZ) on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave(CA) in sorrow.(CB)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 42:34 Or move about freely