Genesis 43

The Return to Egypt

11Now the famine was severe in the land. 2So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” 3Judah spoke to him, however, saying, “2The man solemnly warned 3us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’” 6Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly 4by telling the man whether you still had another brother?” 7But they said, “The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, ‘5Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we 6answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, 7that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. 98I myself will be surety for him; 9you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then 10let me bear the blame before you forever. 10For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.”

11Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your 11bags, and carry down to the man 12as a present, a little 1314balm and a little honey, 15aromatic gum and 16myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand 17the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. 13Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man; 14and may 1819God Almighty 20grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you 21your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, 22if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 15So the men took 23this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

Joseph Sees Benjamin

16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his 24house steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17So the man did as Joseph said, and 25brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may 26seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys.” 19So they came near to Joseph’s house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, 20and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, 21and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, 27each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in 28full. So 29we have brought it back in our hand. 22We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks.” 23He said, “30Be at ease, do not be afraid. 31Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; 32I had your money.” Then 33he brought Simeon out to them. 24Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and 34gave them water, and they 35washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder. 25So they prepared 36the present 37for Joseph’s coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat 38a meal there.

26When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and 39bowed to the ground before him. 27Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, “40Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” 41They bowed down 42in homage. 29As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this 43your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “44May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30Joseph hurried out for 4546he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and 47wept there. 31Then he washed his face and came out; and he 48controlled himself and said, “49Serve the meal.” 32So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is 5051loathsome to the Egyptians. 33Now they 52were seated before him, 53the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 34He took portions to them from 54his own table, 55but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.