1 And the famine was sore in the land.
2 And
it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn 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 us straitly of our state, and of 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 certainly 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 now we had returned this second time.
11 And
their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best
fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little
balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
12 And
take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the
mouth of your sacks, carry it 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 send away your other
brother, and Benjamin. 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 ruler of his house, Bring these men
home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
17 And
the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
18 And
the men were afraid, because they were brought into 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 communed with him at
the door of the house,
20 And
said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21 And
it came to pass, when we came to the inn, 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 hands to buy food: we cannot tell 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 came 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 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 answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet
alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
29 And
he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and
said, Is this
your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious
unto thee, my son.
30 And
Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to
weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
31 And
he washed his face, and went out, and 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, which 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 firstborn according to his birthright, and the
youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at 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.
