Genesis 42

1When JacobH3290 learnedH7200 thatH3588 there wasH3426 grainH7668 in EgyptH4714, heH3290 saidH559 to his sonsH1121, “WhyH4100 are you staring at one anotherH7200?”

2“LookH2009,” he addedH559, “I have heardH8085 thatH3588 there isH3426 grainH7668 in EgyptH4714. Go downH3381 thereH8033 and buyH7666 some for usH8033, so that we may liveH2421 and notH3808 dieH4191.”

3So tenH6235 of Joseph’sH3130 brothersH251 went downH3381 to buyH7666 grainH1250 from EgyptH4714. 4But JacobH3290 did notH3808 sendH7971 Joseph’sH3130 brotherH251 BenjaminH1144 withH854 his brothersH251, forH3588 he saidH559, “I am afraid thatH6435 harmH611 might befall himH7122.”

5So the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 were amongH8432 those whoH935 cameH935 to buy grainH7666, sinceH3588 the famineH7458 had also spreadH1961 to the landH776 of CanaanH3667.

6Now JosephH3130 wasH1931 the rulerH7989 ofH5921 the landH776; he was the one whoH1931 sold grainH7666 to allH3605 itsH776 peopleH5971. So whenH3130 his brothersH251 arrivedH935, they bowed downH7812 before him with their facesH639 to the groundH776. 7And when JosephH3130 sawH7200 his brothersH251, he recognized themH5234, but he treated them as strangersH5234H413 and spokeH1696 harshlyH7186 to themH854. “WhereH370 have you come fromH935?” he askedH559H413.

“From the landH776 of CanaanH3667,” they repliedH559. “We are here to buyH7666 foodH400.”

8Although JosephH3130 recognizedH5234 his brothersH251, theyH1992 did notH3808 recognize himH5234. 9JosephH3130 rememberedH2142 his dreamsH2472 about them and saidH559H413, “YouH859 are spiesH7270! You have comeH935 to seeH7200 if our landH776 is vulnerableH6172.”

10“Not soH3808, my lordH113,” they repliedH559H413. “Your servantsH5650 have comeH935 to buyH7666 foodH400. 11WeH5168 are allH3605 sonsH1121 of oneH259 manH376. Your servantsH5650H587 areH1961 honestH3651 men, notH3808 spiesH7270.”

12“NoH3808H3588,” he toldH559 themH413. “You have comeH935 to seeH7200 if our landH776 is vulnerableH6172.”

13But they answeredH559, “Your servantsH5650H587 are twelveH8147H6240 brothersH251, the sonsH1121 of oneH259 manH376 in the landH776 of CanaanH3667H2009. The youngestH6996 is nowH3117 withH854 our fatherH1, and oneH259 is no moreH369.”

14Then JosephH3130H1931 declaredH559H413, “Just as I saidH1696H413H559, youH859 are spiesH7270! 15And this is howH2063 you will be testedH974: As surely as PharaohH6547 livesH2416, you shall notH518 leaveH3318 thisH2088 place unlessH3588H518 your youngestH6996 brotherH251 comesH935 hereH2008. 16SendH7971 oneH259 of your number to getH3947 your brotherH251; the rest of youH859 will be confinedH631 so that the truthH571 of your wordsH1697 may be testedH974H854. IfH518 they are untrueH3808, then as surely as PharaohH6547H3588 livesH2416, youH859 are spiesH7270!”

17So Joseph imprisoned themH622 for threeH7969 daysH3117, 18and on the thirdH7992 dayH3117 he saidH559 to themH413, “IH589 fearH3373 GodH430. So doH6213 thisH2063 and you will liveH2421: 19IfH518 youH859H251 are honestH3651, leave oneH259 of your brothers in custodyH631H1004H4929 while the rest of youH859 goH1980 and take backH935 grainH7668 to relieve the hungerH7459 of your householdsH1004. 20ThenH853 bringH935 your youngestH6996 brotherH251 to meH413 so that your wordsH1697 can be verifiedH539, that you may notH3808 dieH4191.”

And to thisH3651 they consentedH6213.

21Then they saidH559 toH413 oneH376 anotherH251, “SurelyH61 weH587 are being punishedH818 because ofH5921 our brotherH251. We sawH7200 hisH5315 anguishH6869 when he pleadedH2603 with usH413, but we would notH3808 listenH8085. That is whyH5921H3651 thisH2063 distressH6869 has comeH935 upon usH413.”

22And ReubenH7205 respondedH6030, “Didn’tH3808H559H413 I tellH559 you notH408 to sin againstH2398 the boyH3206? But you would notH3808 listenH8085H1571. NowH2009 we must account forH1875 his bloodH1818!”

23TheyH1992 did notH3808 realizeH3045 thatH3588 JosephH3130 understood themH8085, sinceH3588 there was an interpreterH3887 between themH996. 24And he turned awayH5437 from themH5921 and weptH1058. When he turned backH7725 and spokeH1696H413 to themH413, he tookH3947 SimeonH8095 from themH854 and had him boundH631 before their eyesH5869.

Joseph’s Brothers Return to Canaan

25Then JosephH3130 gave ordersH6680 to fill their bagsH3627 withH4390 grainH1250, to returnH7725 each man’sH376 silverH37011 toH413 his sackH8242, and to giveH5414 them provisionsH6720 for their journeyH1870. ThisH3651 order was carried outH6213, 26and they loadedH5375 the grainH7668 onH5921 their donkeysH2543 and departedH1980H8033.

27At the place where they lodged for the nightH4411, oneH259 of them openedH6605 his sackH8242 to getH5414 feedH4554 for his donkeyH2543, and he sawH7200 his silverH3701H2009H1931 in the mouthH6310 of the sackH572. 28“My silverH3701H1571 has been returnedH7725!” he saidH559 toH413 his brothersH251. “It is hereH2009 in my sackH572.”

Their heartsH3820 sankH3318, and tremblingH2729, they turned toH413 oneH376 anotherH251 and saidH559, “WhatH4100 is thisH2063 that GodH430 has doneH6213 to us?”

29When they reachedH935H413 their fatherH1 JacobH3290 in the landH776 of CanaanH3667, they describedH5046 to himH853 allH3605 that had happened to themH7136: 30“The manH376 who is lordH113 of the landH776 spokeH1696 harshlyH7186H5414 to usH854 and accused us of spyingH7270 on the countryH776.

31But we toldH559 himH413, ‘WeH587 areH1961 honest menH3651, notH3808 spiesH7270. 32WeH587 are twelveH8147H6240 brothersH251, sonsH1121 of one fatherH1. OneH259 is no moreH369, and the youngestH6996 is nowH3117 withH854 our fatherH1 in the landH776 of CanaanH3667.’

33Then the manH376 who is lordH113 of the landH776 saidH559 to usH413, ‘This is howH2063 I will knowH3045 whetherH3588 youH859 are honestH3651: LeaveH5117 oneH259 brotherH251 with meH854, takeH3947 food to relieve the hungerH7459 of your householdsH1004, and goH1980. 34But bringH935 your youngestH6996 brotherH251 back to meH413 so I will knowH3045 thatH3588 youH859 are notH3808 spiesH7270 butH3588 honest menH3651H859. Then I will giveH5414 your brotherH251 back to you, and you can tradeH5503 in the landH776.’”

35

As theyH1992 began emptyingH7324 their sacksH8242, thereH2009 in each man’sH376 sackH8242 was his bagH6872 of silverH3701! And when theyH1992 and their fatherH1 sawH7200 the bagsH6872 of silverH3701, they were dismayedH3372.

36Their fatherH1 JacobH3290 saidH559 to themH413, “You have deprived me of my sonsH7921. JosephH3130 is goneH369 and SimeonH8095 is no moreH369. Now you want to takeH3947 BenjaminH1144. EverythingH3605 is goingH1961 against meH5921!”

37Then ReubenH7205 saidH559 toH413 his fatherH1H559, “You may killH4191 my twoH8147 sonsH1121 ifH518 I failH3808 to bring him backH935 to youH413. PutH5414 himH853 inH5921 my careH3027, and IH589 will return himH7725H413.”

38But Jacob repliedH559, “My sonH1121 will notH3808 go down thereH3381 with youH5973, forH3588 his brotherH251 is deadH4191, and heH1931 aloneH905 is leftH7604. If any harm comesH7122H611 to him on yourH834H1980 journeyH1870, you will bring my gray hairH7872 downH3381 to SheolH7585 in sorrowH3015.”