Genesis 42:29-38

New International Reader's Version

²⁹ They came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him everything that had happened to them. They said, ³⁰ “The man who is the governor of the land spoke to us in a mean way. He treated us as if we were spying on the land. ³¹ But we said to him, ‘We’re honest men. We aren’t spies. ³² We were 12 brothers. All of us were the sons of one father. But now one brother is gone. And our youngest brother is with our father in Canaan.’

³³ “Then the man who is the governor of the land spoke to us. He said, ‘Here’s how I will know whether you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers here with me. Take food for your hungry families and go. ³⁴ But bring your youngest brother to me. Then I’ll know that you are honest men and not spies. I’ll give your brother back to you. And you will be free to trade in the land.’ ”

³⁵ They began emptying their sacks. There in each man’s sack was his bag of money! When they and their father saw the money bags, they were scared to death. ³⁶ Their father Jacob said to them, “You have taken my children away from me. Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”

³⁷ Then Reuben spoke to his father. He said, “You can put both of my sons to death if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. Trust me to take care of him. I’ll bring him back.”

³⁸ But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you. His brother is dead. He’s the only one left here with me. Suppose he’s harmed on the journey you are taking. Then I would die as a sad old man.”