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Genesis 42
Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 42
Christian Standard Bible
Joseph’s Brothers in Egypt
42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,(A) he said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at each other? 2 Listen,” he went on, “I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die.”(B) 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, “Something might happen to him.”
5 The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.(C) 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them.
“Where do you come from?” he asked.
“From the land of Canaan to buy food,” they replied.
8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them(D) and said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the weakness[a] of the land.”
10 “No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said. 11 “We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies.”
12 “No,” he said to them. “You have come to see the weakness of the land.”
13 But they replied, “We, your servants, were twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now[b] with our father, and one is no longer living.”
14 Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken:[c] ‘You are spies!’ 15 This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one from among you to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17 So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days.
18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “I fear God(E)—do this and you will live. 19 If you are honest, let one of you[d] be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain to relieve the hunger of your households. 20 Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won’t die.” And they consented to this.
21 Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.”(F)
22 But Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to harm the boy?(G) But you wouldn’t listen. Now we must account for his blood!” [e]
23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. 24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. 25 Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man’s silver to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. 26 They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there.
The Brothers Return Home
27 At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver there at the top of his bag. 28 He said to his brothers, “My silver has been returned! It’s here in my bag.” Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What has God done to us?”
29 When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: 30 “The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. 31 But we told him, ‘We are honest and not spies. 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of the same[f] father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 The man who is the lord of the country said to us, ‘This is how I will know if you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go. 34 Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.’”
35 As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.
36 Their father Jacob said to them, “It’s me that you make childless. Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything happens to me!”
37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You can kill my two sons if I don’t bring him back to you. Put him in my care,[g] and I will return him to you.”
38 But Jacob answered, “My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left.(H) If anything happens to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.”(I)
Génesis 42
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Génesis 42
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Los hermanos de José van a Egipto
42 Viendo Jacob que había alimento[a] en Egipto(A), dijo[b] a sus hijos: «¿Por qué se están mirando? 2 He oído que hay alimento[c] en Egipto(B)», y añadió; «desciendan allá, y compren de allí un poco para nosotros, para que vivamos y no muramos(C)». 3 Entonces diez hermanos de José descendieron para comprar grano en Egipto. 4 Pero Jacob no envió con sus hermanos a Benjamín(D), hermano de José, porque dijo: «No sea que le suceda algo malo(E)». 5 Los israelitas fueron junto con los que iban a comprar grano, pues también había hambre en la tierra de Canaán(F).
6 Y José era el que mandaba en aquel[d] país(G). Él era quien vendía a todo el pueblo de la tierra. Cuando los hermanos de José llegaron, se postraron ante él rostro en tierra(H). 7 Al ver José a sus hermanos, los reconoció, pero fingió no conocerlos y les habló duramente(I). Y les dijo: «¿De dónde han venido?». «De la tierra de Canaán para comprar alimentos», le respondieron ellos.
8 José había reconocido a sus hermanos, aunque ellos no lo habían reconocido a él(J). 9 José se acordó de los sueños que había tenido[e] acerca de ellos(K), y les dijo: «Ustedes son espías. Han venido para ver las partes indefensas de nuestra tierra[f]». 10 «No, señor mío(L)», le dijeron ellos, sino que tus siervos han venido para comprar alimentos. 11 «Todos nosotros somos hijos de un mismo padre[g]. Somos hombres honrados, tus siervos no son espías(M)».
12 «No, sino que ustedes han venido para ver las partes indefensas de nuestra tierra[h]», les dijo. 13 Pero ellos dijeron: «Tus siervos eran doce hermanos, hijos del mismo padre[i] en la tierra de Canaán; y el menor está hoy con nuestro padre(N), y el otro[j] ya no existe(O)».
14 Entonces José les dijo: «Es tal como les dije: ustedes son espías. 15 En esto serán probados; por vida de Faraón(P) que no saldrán de este lugar a menos que su hermano menor venga aquí. 16 Envíen a uno de ustedes y que traiga a su hermano, mientras ustedes quedan presos, para que sean probadas sus palabras, a ver si hay verdad en ustedes(Q). Y si no, ¡por vida de Faraón!, ciertamente son espías». 17 Y los puso a todos juntos bajo custodia(R) por tres días.
18 José les dijo al tercer día: «Hagan esto y vivirán, pues yo temo a Dios(S): 19 si son hombres honrados, que uno de sus hermanos quede encarcelado en su prisión[k]. El resto de ustedes, vayan, lleven grano para el hambre de sus casas. 20 Y tráiganme a su hermano menor, para que sus palabras sean verificadas(T), y no morirán». Y así lo hicieron. 21 Entonces se dijeron el uno al otro: «Verdaderamente somos culpables en cuanto a nuestro hermano(U), porque vimos la angustia de su alma cuando nos rogaba, y no lo escuchamos, por eso ha venido sobre nosotros esta angustia». 22 Rubén les respondió: «¿No les dije yo[l]: “No pequen contra el muchacho(V)” y no me escucharon? Ahora hay que rendir cuentas por su sangre[m](W)». 23 Ellos, sin embargo, no sabían que José los entendía, porque había un intérprete entre él y ellos. 24 Y se apartó José de su lado y lloró(X). Cuando volvió a ellos y les habló, tomó de entre ellos a Simeón, y lo ató a la vista de sus hermanos[n](Y).
Regreso a Canaán
25 José mandó que les llenaran sus vasijas de grano y que devolvieran el dinero a cada uno poniéndolo en su saco, y que les dieran provisiones para el camino(Z). Y así se hizo con ellos. 26 Ellos, pues, cargaron el grano sobre sus asnos, y se fueron de allí.
27 Y cuando uno de ellos abrió su saco para dar forraje a su asno en la posada, vio que su dinero estaba en la boca de su costal(AA). 28 Entonces dijo a sus hermanos: «Me ha sido devuelto mi dinero, y[o] miren, está en mi costal». Y se les sobresaltó[p] el corazón, y temblando se decían el uno al otro: «¿Qué es esto que Dios nos ha hecho(AB)?».
29 Cuando llegaron a su padre Jacob en la tierra de Canaán, le contaron todo lo que les había sucedido: 30 «El hombre, el señor de aquella[q] tierra, nos habló duramente(AC) y nos tomó por espías del país. 31 Pero nosotros le dijimos: “Somos hombres honrados, no somos espías(AD). 32 Eramos doce hermanos, hijos de nuestro padre. Uno ya no existe, y el menor está hoy con nuestro padre en la tierra de Canaán”.
33 »Entonces el hombre, el señor de aquel[r] país, nos dijo: “Por esto sabré que son hombres honrados: dejen uno de sus hermanos conmigo y tomen grano para el hambre de sus casas, y márchense(AE). 34 Pero tráiganme a su hermano menor para que yo sepa que ustedes no son espías, sino hombres honrados[s]. Les devolveré[t] a su hermano, y podrán comerciar en la tierra(AF)”».
35 Cuando vaciaron sus sacos, el atado del dinero de cada uno estaba en su saco(AG). Y al ver ellos y su padre los atados de su dinero, tuvieron temor. 36 Y su padre Jacob les dijo: «Ustedes me han privado de mis hijos(AH); José ya no existe, y Simeón ya no existe, y ahora se quieren llevar a Benjamín. Todas estas cosas son contra mí».
37 Entonces Rubén habló a su padre: «Puedes dar muerte a mis dos hijos, si no te lo traigo. Ponlo bajo mi cuidado[u], y yo te lo devolveré». 38 Pero Jacob dijo: «Mi hijo no descenderá con ustedes. Pues su hermano ha muerto(AI), y solo él me queda. Si algo malo le acontece en el viaje[v](AJ) en que van, harán descender mis canas con dolor al Seol[w](AK)».
Footnotes
- 42:1 Lit. grano.
- 42:1 Lit. y dijo Jacob.
- 42:2 Lit. grano.
- 42:6 Lit. la.
- 42:9 Lit. soñado.
- 42:9 Lit. la desnudez de la tierra.
- 42:11 Lit. hombre.
- 42:12 Lit. la desnudez de la tierra.
- 42:13 Lit. hombre.
- 42:13 Lit. uno.
- 42:19 Lit. la casa de su prisión.
- 42:22 Lit. dije, diciendo.
- 42:22 Lit. Y he aquí, su sangre es también demandada.
- 42:24 Lit. de ellos.
- 42:28 Lit. y también.
- 42:28 Lit. salió.
- 42:30 Lit. la.
- 42:33 Lit. la.
- 42:34 Lit. sino que son honrados.
- 42:34 Lit. daré.
- 42:37 Lit. en mi mano.
- 42:38 O camino.
- 42:38 I.e. región de los muertos.
Genesis 42
New International Version
Genesis 42
New International Version
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)
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
- Genesis 42:34 Or move about freely
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