Beginning
43 Now, great famine was in the land.
2 And when they had eaten up the food which they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little food.”
3 And Judah answered him, saying, “The man charged us by an oath, saying, ‘Never 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, ‘Do not look me in the face unless your brother is with you.’”
6 And Israel said, “Why have you dealt so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you still had a brother or not?”
7 And they answered, “The man directly asked about us and about our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have any other brothers?’ And we told him as we have said. Could we have known for certain that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Then Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, so that we may rise and go and so that we may live and not die, both we and you and our children.
9 “I will be surety for him. From my hand shall you require him. If I do not bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10 “For if we had not lingered here, doubtless by now we would have returned a second time.”
11 Then their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so now, do this: take from the best fruits of the land in your vessels; and bring the man a present (a little rosin and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds).
12 “And take double money in your hand. And carry back in your hand the money that was brought back in your sacks’ mouths. Perhaps it was some oversight.
13 “Also, take your brother and arise. Go back to the man.
14 “And God Almighty give you mercy in the sight of the man, so that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
15 Thus, the men took this present and took twice as much money in their hand, with Benjamin, and rose up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, “Bring these men home and kill meat, and make ready. For the men shall eat with me at noon.”
17 And the men did as Joseph instructed and brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18 Now, when the men were brought into Joseph’s house, they were afraid, and said, “It is because of the money that came in our sack’s mouths the first time that we are brought, so that he may pick a quarrel against us and charge us with something and put us and our donkeys in bondage.”
19 Therefore, they came to Joseph’s steward and communed with him at the door of his house,
20 and said, “O sir, indeed we came down here to buy food the first time.
21 “And as we came to an inn and opened our sacks, behold, every man’s money was in his sack’s mouth, even our money in full weight. But we have brought it in our hands.
22 “Also, we have brought other money in our hands to buy food. But we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.”
23 And he said, “Peace to you. Do not fear. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you that treasure in your sacks. I had your money.” And he brought forth Simeon to them.
24 So the man led them into Joseph’s house and gave them water to wash their feet and gave their donkeys feed.
25 And they made their present ready for Joseph’s arrival at noon (for they had heard say that they should eat bread there).
26 When Joseph came home, they brought the present (which was in their hands) into the house to him and bowed down to the ground before him.
27 And he asked them about their well-being, and said, “Is your father, the old man of whom you told me, in good health? Is he still alive?”
28 Who answered, “Your servant, our father, is in good health. He is still alive.” And they bowed down and prostrated themselves.
29 And he, lifting up his eyes, beheld his brother, Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you told me?” And he said, “God be merciful to you, my son.”
30 And Joseph hurried and sought where to weep (for his affection was inflamed toward his brother). And he entered into his chamber and wept there.
31 Afterward, he washed his face and came out and refrained himself, and said, “Lay out the bread!”
32 And they prepared for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who ate with him, by themselves (because the Egyptians did not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that was an abomination to the Egyptians).
33 So they sat before him, the eldest according to his age and the youngest according to his youth. And the men marveled among themselves.
34 And they took portions to them from before him. But Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.
44 Afterward, he commanded his steward, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry; and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.
2 “And put my cup (I mean, the silver cup) in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.” And he did according to the commandment that Joseph gave.
3 And in the morning, the men were sent away (they and their donkeys).
4 And when they had not gone far out of the city, Joseph said to his steward, “Up! Follow after the men. And when you catch up to them, say, “Why have you rewarded evil for good?
5 “Is not that the cup wherein my lord drinks and in which he divines and prophesies? You have done evil by doing this!”
6 And when he caught up to them, he said these words to them.
7 And they answered him, “Why does my lord say such words? God forbid that your servants should do such a thing.
8 “Behold, we brought back to you (from the land of Canaan) the money which we found in our sacks’ mouths. Why, then, would we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?
9 “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die; and we, also, will be my lord’s slaves.”
10 And he said, “Now then let it be as you say. He with whom it is found shall be my servant; and you shall be blameless.”
11 Then, at once, every man took down his sack to the ground; and everyone opened his sack.
12 And he searched and began at the eldest and finished at the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13 Then they tore their clothes; and every man loaded his donkey and went again into the city.
14 So, Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house (for he was still there); and they fell on the ground before him.
15 Then Joseph said to them, “What act is this which you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can divine and prophesy?”
16 Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has revealed the wickedness of your servants. Behold, we are servants to my lord, both we and he with whom the cup is found.”
17 But he answered, “May it never be that I should do so. The man with whom the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and you shall go in peace to your father.”
18 Then Judah drew near to him, and said, “Oh my lord, let your servant now speak a word in my lord’s ears; and do not let your wrath be kindled against your servant. For you are just as Pharaoh.
19 “My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20 “And we answered my lord, ‘We have a father who is old, and a young child whom he begat in his old age. And his brother is dead; and he is the only surviving son of his mother. And his father loves him.’
21 “Now you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me, so that I may set my eye upon him.’
22 “And we answered my lord, ‘The child cannot leave his father. For if he leaves him, his father will die.’
23 “Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will look in my face no more.’
24 “So, when we came to your servant, our father, we showed him what my lord had said.
25 “And our father said to us, ‘Go back. Buy us a little food.’
26 “Then we answered, ‘We cannot go down. But, if our youngest brother goes with us, then will we go down. For we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’
27 “Then your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28 ‘And one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
29 ‘Now you also take this away from me. If death takes him, then you shall bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.’
30 “Now, therefore, when I shall come to your servant, my father, and the child is not with us (seeing that his life depends on the child’s life),
31 “then (when he shall see that the child has not come) he will die. So shall your servants bring down the gray head of your servant, our father, to the grave with sorrow.
32 “Doubtless, your servant became surety for the child to my father; and, if I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.
33 “Now, therefore, please let me, your servant, stand in for the child (as a servant to my lord) and let the child go up with his brothers.
34 “For how can I go up to my father if the child is not with me, lest I would see the evil that shall come on my father.”
45 Then Joseph could not control himself before all who stood by him; but he cried, “Send everyone away!” And not one remained with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
2 And he wept, and cried, so that the Egyptians heard. The house of Pharaoh also heard.
3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him (for they were astonished at his presence).
4 Again, Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” And they came near. And he said, “I am Joseph, your brother; whom you sold into Egypt.
5 “Now, therefore, do not be sad or angry with yourselves, that you sold me here. For God sent me before you for your preservation.
6 “For now, two years of famine have been through the land; and five years are still to come wherein there shall be neither earing nor harvest.
7 “Therefore, God sent me before you to preserve your posterity in this land, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.
8 “Now, then, you did not send me here, but God, Who has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 “Hurry and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘Thus says your son, Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me, do not delay.
10 ‘And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen and shall be near me (you and your children and your children’s children and your sheep and your beasts and all that you have).
11 ‘Also, I will nourish you there (for there still remains five years of famine), lest you perish through poverty, (you and your household and all that you have).’
12 “And behold, your eyes see (as do the eyes of my brother, Benjamin) that my mouth speaks to you.
13 “Therefore, tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and hurry and bring my father here.”
14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept; and Benjamin wept on his neck.
15 Moreover, he kissed all his brothers, and wept upon them. And afterward, his brothers talked with him.
16 And the tidings came to Pharaoh’s house, so that they said, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” And it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and leave. Go to the land of Canaan.’
18 “And take your father and your household and come to me; and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt. And you shall eat of the fat of the land.
19 “And I command you, do this: Take chariots out of the land of Egypt, for your children and for your wives, and bring your father and come.
20 “Also, do not be concerned about your stuff. For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”
21 And the children of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them chariots, according to the commandment of Pharaoh. He also gave them food for the journey.
22 He gave them all, without exception, a change of clothing. But to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.
23 And to his father, also, he sent ten male donkeys, loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys, loaded with wheat and bread and meat for his father along the way.
24 So, he sent his brothers away; and they departed. And he said to them, “Do not argue on the way.”
25 Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan (to Jacob, their father)
26 and told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive! And he is also governor over all the land of Egypt!” And Jacob’s heart failed, for he did not believe them.
27 And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said to them. But when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to carry him, then the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived.
28 And Israel said, “I have enough. Joseph, my son, is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
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