1
And the famine was sore in the land .
2
And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt , their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
3
And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us , saying, Ye shall not see my face , except your brother be with you.
4
If thou wilt send our brother with us , we will go down and buy thee food:
5
but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down ; for the man said unto us , Ye shall not see my face , except your brother be with you.
6
And Israel said , Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother ?
7
And they said , The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother ? and we told him according to the tenor of these words : could we in any wise know that he would say , Bring your brother down ?
8
And Judah said unto Israel his father , Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go ; that we may live, and not die , both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
9
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
10
for except we had lingered , surely we had now returned a second time.
11
And their father Israel said unto them, If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels , and carry down the man a present , a little balm , and a little honey , spicery and myrrh , nuts, and almonds;
12
and take double money in your hand ; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand ; peradventure it was an oversight:
13
take also your brother , and arise , go again unto the man :
14
and God Almighty give you mercy before the man , that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin . And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
15
And the men took that present , and they took double money in their hand , and Benjamin ; and rose up , and went down to Egypt , and stood before Joseph .
16
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house , Bring the men into the house , and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon .
17
And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men to Joseph's house .
18
And the men were afraid , because they were brought to Joseph's house ; and they said , Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us , and fall upon us , and take us for bondmen, and our asses .
19
And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house , and they spake unto him at the door of the house ,
20
and said , Oh, my lord , we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21
and it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place , that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man 's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand .
22
And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food: we know not who put our money in our sacks.
23
And he said , Peace be to you, fear not : your God , and the God of your father , hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money . And he brought Simeon out unto them.
24
And the man brought the men into Joseph's house , and gave them water , and they washed their feet . And he gave their asses provender .
25
And they made ready the present against Joseph's coming at noon : for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house , and bowed down themselves to him to the earth .
27
And he asked them of their welfare, and said , Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake ? Is he yet alive?
28
And they said , Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.
29
And he lifted up his eyes , and saw Benjamin his brother , his mother's son , and said , Is this your youngest brother , of whom ye spake unto me? And he said , God be gracious unto thee, my son .
30
And Joseph made haste ; for his heart yearned over his brother : and he sought where to weep ; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
31
And he washed his face , and came out; and he refrained himself, and said , Set on bread .
32
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians , that did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews ; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians .
33
And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one with another.
34
And he took [and sent] messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank , and were merry with him.