Genesis 42:3-11

New International Version

³ Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain^(A) from Egypt. ⁴ But Jacob did not send Benjamin,^(B) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.^{(C) 5} So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,^(D) for there was famine in the land of Canaan^(E) also.^(F)

⁶ Now Joseph was the governor of the land,^(G) the person who sold grain to all its people.^(H) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.^{(I) 7} As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.^(J) “Where do you come from?”^(K) he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.^{(L) 9} Then he remembered his dreams^(M) about them and said to them, “You are spies!^(N) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(O)

¹⁰ “No, my lord,^(P)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.^{(Q) 11} We are all the sons of one man. Your servants^(R) are honest men,^(S) not spies.^(T)”