Genesis 43
Complete Jewish Bible
43 But the famine was severe in the land; 2 so when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” 3 Y’hudah said to him, “The man expressly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food; 5 but if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’” 6 Isra’el said, “Why did you bring such trouble my way by telling the man you had another brother?” 7 They answered, “The man kept questioning us about ourselves and about our kinsmen. He asked, ‘Is your father still alive?’ ‘Do you have another brother?’ and we answered according to the literal meaning of his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Y’hudah said to Isra’el his father, “Send the boy with me; and we will make preparations and leave; so that we may stay alive and not die, both we and you, and also our little ones. 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me responsible. If I fail to bring him to you and present him to your face, let me bear the blame forever. 10 Except for our lengthy delay, we would have been there again by now.”
11 Their father Isra’el answered them, “If that’s how it is, do this: take in your containers some of the land’s best products, and bring the man a gift — some healing resin, a little honey, aromatic gum, opium, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take twice the amount of money with you; and return the money that came back with you in your packs — it could have been an oversight. 13 Yes, and take your brother too; and get ready; and go again to the man. 14 May El Shaddai give you favor in the man’s sight, so that he will release to you your other brother as well as Binyamin. As for me, if I must lose my children, lose them I will.” 15 The men took that gift, and they took twice the money with them, and Binyamin; then they prepared, went down to Egypt and stood before Yosef.
(vi) 16 When Yosef saw Binyamin with them, he said to his household manager, “Take the men inside the house, kill the animals and prepare the meat. These men will dine with me at noon.” 17 The man did as Yosef ordered and brought the men into Yosef’s house.
18 Upon being ushered inside Yosef’s house, the men became fearful. They said, “It’s because of the money that was returned in our packs the first time that we have been brought inside — so that he can use it as an excuse to attack us, take us as slaves and seize our donkeys too.” 19 So they approached the manager of Yosef’s household and spoke to him at the entrance of the house: 20 “Please, my lord, the first time we indeed came down to buy food; 21 but when we got to camp, we opened our packs, and there inside our packs was each man’s money, the full amount. We have brought it back with us; 22 moreover, we have brought down other money to buy food. We have no idea who put our money in our packs.” 23 “Stop worrying,” he replied, “don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father put treasure in your packs. As for your money — I was the one who received it.” Then he brought Shim‘on out to them.
24 The man brought the men into Yosef’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 Then they got their gift ready for Yosef’s arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were going to eat a meal there. 26 When Yosef arrived home, they went in the house and presented him with the gift they had brought with them, then prostrated themselves before him on the ground. 27 He asked them how they were and inquired, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They answered, “Your servant our father is well; yes, he is still alive,” as they bowed in respect. 29 He looked up and saw Binyamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” and added, “May God be good to you, my son.”
(vii) 30 Then Yosef hurried out, because his feelings toward his brother were so strong that he wanted to cry; he went into his bedroom and there he wept. 31 Then he washed his face and came out, but he controlled himself as he gave the order to serve the meal. 32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians included at the meal by themselves — Egyptians don’t eat with Hebrews, because that is abhorrent to them. 33 So they sat there facing him, the firstborn in the place of honor, the youngest in last place; and the men expressed their amazement to each other. 34 Each was given his serving there in front of him, but Binyamin’s portion was five times as large as any of theirs. So they drank and enjoyed themselves with him.
Genesis 43
New King James Version
Joseph’s Brothers Return with Benjamin
43 Now the famine was (A)severe in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go (B)back, buy us a little food.”
3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your (C)brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ ”
6 And Israel said, “Why did you deal so [a]wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?”
7 But they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may (D)live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. (E)If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.”
11 And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and (F)carry down a present for the man—a little (G)balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money (H)that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. 14 And may God (I)Almighty (J)give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. (K)If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!”
15 So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went (L)down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the (M)steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter [b]an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.” 17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.
18 Now the men were (N)afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may [c]make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.”
19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “O sir, (O)we indeed came down the first time to buy food; 21 but (P)it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand. 22 And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought (Q)Simeon out to them.
24 So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and (R)gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. 25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.
26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and (S)bowed down before him to the earth. 27 Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, “Is your father well, the old man (T)of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
28 And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.” (U)And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.
29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, (V)his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother (W)of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Now (X)his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and (Y)wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, “Serve the (Z)bread.”
32 So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the (AA)Hebrews, for that is (AB)an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his (AC)birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another. 34 Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was (AD)five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 43:6 Lit. wickedly
- Genesis 43:16 Lit. a slaughter
- Genesis 43:18 Lit. roll himself upon us
创世记 43
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
雅各再差遣众子往埃及买粮
43 那地的饥荒十分严重。 2 他们把从埃及带回来的粮食都吃完了。他们的父亲就对他们说：“你们再去替我们买些粮食回来吧。” 3 犹大对他说：“那人认真地警告我们说：‘如果你们的弟弟不与你们一起来，你们就不得见我的面。’ 4 如果你让我们的弟弟与我们同去，我们就下去替你买粮食。 5 如果你不让他去，我们也不下去，因为那人对我们说：‘如果你们的弟弟不与你们一起来，你们就不得见我的面。’” 6 以色列说：“你们为甚么这样害我，告诉那人你们还有个弟弟呢？” 7 他们回答：“那人确实查问有关我们和我们亲属的事，说：‘你们的父亲还活着吗？你们还有其他的兄弟吗？’我们就照着这些话回答他。我们怎么知道他会说：‘你们必要把你们的弟弟带下来’呢？” 8 犹大对他父亲以色列说：“你若打发那孩子与我同去，我们就立刻起程，好叫我们和你，以及我们的孩子都可以存活，不至饿死。 9 我愿意亲自担保他的安全，你可以从我手里追回他。如果我不把他带回来给你，交在你面前，我愿终生承担这罪。 10 要不是我们耽延，现在第二次也回来了。”
11 他们的父亲以色列对他们说：“如果必须如此，你们就这样作：你们把本地最好的出产放在袋里，带下去给那人作礼物，就是一点乳香、一点蜂蜜、香料、没药、粟子和杏仁。 12 你们手里要多带一倍银子，因为你们要把那放回在你们袋口里的银子带回去，那可能是弄错了的。 13 你们带着你们的弟弟，起程再到那人那里去吧。 14 愿全能的 神使那人怜悯你们，给你们释放你们那个兄弟和便雅悯。至于我，如果要丧失儿子，就丧失了吧。” 15 于是，他们带着这些礼物，手里拿着多一倍的银子，并且带着便雅悯，起程下到埃及去，站在约瑟面前。
约瑟为兄弟摆设筵席
16 约瑟见便雅悯与他们同来，就对管家说：“把这些人带到我家里，要宰杀牲畜，预备筵席，因为在正午的时候，这些人要与我一起吃饭。” 17 管家就照着约瑟所吩咐的去作，把这些人带到约瑟的家里。 18 他们因为被领到约瑟的家里，就害怕起来，说：“我们被领到这里来，必定是为了头一次放回在我们袋里的银子，现在他们想攻击我们，制伏我们，逼我们作奴仆，又夺去我们的驴。” 19 他们于是走近约瑟的管家，在屋门口与他说话。 20 他们说：“先生啊，我们头一次下来，实在是要买粮食的。 21 后来我们来到住宿的地方，打开布袋的时候，不料各人的银子仍然在各人的袋口里，分文不少；现在我们手里又带回来了。 22 我们手里又另外带来银子，是买粮食用的。我们不知道头一次谁把我们的银子放在我们的布袋里。” 23 管家说：“你们可以放心，不要害怕，是你们的 神，你们父亲的 神，把财宝赐给你们，放在你们的布袋里。你们的银子我早已收到了。”接着他把西缅带出来交给他们。 24 管家把他们领到约瑟的家里，给他们水洗脚，又给他们饲料喂驴。 25 于是，他们预备好了礼物，等候约瑟中午到来，因为他们听说他们要在那里吃饭。
26 约瑟回到家里，他们就把手中的礼物带进屋里送给他，又俯伏在地向他下拜。 27 约瑟先向他们问安，然后又问：“你们的父亲，就是你们所说的那老人家平安吗？他还在吗？” 28 他们回答：“你仆人我们的父亲平安，他还在。”于是他们低头下拜。 29 约瑟举目观看，看见自己同母所生的弟弟便雅悯，就问：“这就是你们向我提过那最小的弟弟吗？”又说：“我儿啊，愿 神赐恩给你。” 30 约瑟爱弟弟之情激动起来，就急忙去找个可哭的地方。于是他进了自己的内室，在那里哭了一阵。 31 他洗了面，然后出来，抑制着自己的感情，吩咐人说：“开饭吧。” 32 他们就给约瑟单独摆了一席，给那些人另外摆了一席，又给那些与约瑟一同吃饭的埃及人摆了一席，因为埃及人不能与希伯来人一同吃饭，这是埃及人所厌恶的。 33 约瑟使众兄弟在他面前排列坐下，都是照着他们长幼的次序。众兄弟就彼此对望，惊奇不已。 34 约瑟拿起自己面前的食物，分给他们，但是便雅悯分得的食物，比别人多五倍。他们就与约瑟一同喝酒宴乐。
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.