Genesis 43

1 But the famine grew stronger in the land. 2 And when they had finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again — buy us a little food.” 3 And Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly: ‘You shall not see my face unless your younger brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you do not send our brother with us, we will not go — for the man told us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your younger brother is with you.’” 6 And Israel said, “Why did you do me this harm — telling the man you had a brother?” 7 And they said, “The man questioned us closely about our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have a brother?’ And we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, ‘Bring your brother’?” 8 And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will get up and go — so that we may live and not die, we and you and our households. 9 I myself will be surety for him — require him from my hand. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I will have sinned against you for all my days. 10 If we had not delayed, we would have been there and back twice by now.” 11 And Israel their father said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the fruits of the land in your containers, and carry down gifts to the man — resin and honey, incense and fragrant oil of myrrh, terebinth nuts and walnuts. [a] 12 Take double the money in your hands, and carry back the money that was returned in your sacks — perhaps it was a mistake. 13 And take your brother. Get up, go down to the man. 14 May my God give you favor in the man’s sight, and may he release your other brother to you, and Benjamin. As for me — if I am to be bereaved, then I am bereaved.” 15 So the men took the gifts and the double money, and Benjamin with them, and they rose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 When Joseph saw them, and Benjamin his brother, born of the same mother, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter animals and prepare them — the men will eat bread with me at noon.” 17 And the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men into Joseph’s house. 18 But when the men saw that they were being brought into Joseph’s house, they said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time — we are being brought in so he can accuse us falsely and fall upon us, and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.” 19 So they came up to the man who was over Joseph’s house and spoke to him at the entrance of the house: 20 “Please, sir — we came down the first time to buy food. 21 But when we came to the place where we stopped and opened our sacks, each man’s money was there in his sack. We have brought our money back with us, by full weight, in our own hands. 22 And we have brought other money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks.” 23 And he said to them, “Peace to you — do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your fathers, has given you treasure in your sacks. Your money reached me in full.” And he brought Simeon out to them. [b] 24 And he brought water for them to wash their feet, and gave fodder to their donkeys. 25 And they laid out their gifts, waiting for Joseph to come at noon — for they had heard that he was going to dine there. 26 When Joseph came into the house, they brought him the gifts they had carried into the house, and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 27 And he asked them, “How are you? Is your father well — the old man you spoke of? Is he still alive?” 28 And they said, “Your servant our father is well. He is still alive.” And he said, “Blessed by God be that man.” And they bowed low before him. 29 Then Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother, and he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you spoke of bringing to me?” And he said, “God be merciful to you, my son.” 30 And Joseph was deeply shaken — his inward parts churned for his brother, and he needed to weep. He went into his private room and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out, and holding himself together he said, “Serve the bread.” 32 They served him by himself, and the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians dining with him by themselves — for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews; to the Egyptians it is a disgusting thing. 33 And they were seated before him — the firstborn in the place of his birthright, down to the youngest in the place of his youth — and the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 Portions were carried to them from his own table — and Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than anyone else’s. And they drank with him, and became drunk.