Genesis 43:1-15

1The famine was still bad in Canaan.

2Jacob's family ate all the food that they had brought from Egypt. So Jacob said to his sons, ‘Go back to Egypt, and buy some more food for us.’

3But Judah said, ‘The man told us many times, “Unless your brother is with you, I will not let you see me again.”

4So you must send Benjamin with us. Then we will go and buy food for you.

5But if you do not send Benjamin, we will not go. The man clearly said to us, “Unless your brother is with you, you will not see me again.” ’

6Jacob said to them, ‘You have brought great trouble to me! You should not have told the man that you had another brother.’

7The brothers replied, ‘The man asked us many questions about our family. He asked us, “Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?” We only answered his questions. We did not know that he would say, “Bring your brother here.” ’

8Then Judah said to his father Jacob, ‘Agree to send the boy with me. We will go to Egypt immediately. Then all our family can continue to live. We will not die.

9I promise you to keep Benjamin safe. I myself will take care of him and I will bring him back to you. If I do not bring him back home, then you should say that I am guilty. I will be guilty for all of my life.

10We must go now! We have already talked for too long. By now, we could have gone to Egypt and returned twice!’

11Then their father Jacob said to them, ‘If you must take Benjamin, do what I tell you. Put some of the best things from our land in your bags. Take them to the man as a gift. Take some oil, some honey and some spices. Also take some myrrh, and some nuts.

12Also take twice the amount of money with you. You must give back the money that they put back into your bags last time. It may have been a mistake.

13Take your brother Benjamin too. Go back to the man now.

14I pray that God Almighty will help you. I pray that God will cause the man to be kind to you. Then he will let your older brother go free. He and Benjamin will return here with you. As for me, if I must lose my sons, then I will lose them. There is nothing that I can do to stop it.’

15So the brothers took the gifts, and they took twice as much money with them. They took Benjamin and they hurried to Egypt. When they arrived there, they went to meet Joseph.