Genesis 43
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1Now the famine was still severe in the land.1Now the famine in the land was severe.
2So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little more food."2When they had used up the grain they had brought back from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little food."
3But Judah said to him, "The man warned us solemnly, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'3But Judah said to him, "The man specifically warned us: 'You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.'
4If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'"5But if you will not send him, we will not go, for the man said to us, 'You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.'"
6Israel asked, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?"6"Why have you caused me so much trouble?" Israel asked. "Why did you tell the man that you had another brother?"
7They replied, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. 'Is your father still living?' he asked us. 'Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"7They answered, "The man kept asking about us and our family: 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, 'Bring your brother here'?"
8Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.8Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me. We will be on our way so that we may live and not die--neither we, nor you, nor our dependents.
9I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.9I will be responsible for him. You can hold me personally accountable! If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I will be guilty before you forever.
10As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice."10If we had not delayed, we could have come back twice by now."
11Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift--a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.11Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and take them down to the man as a gift--a little balsam and a little honey, aromatic gum and resin, pistachios and almonds.
12Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.12Take twice as much silver with you. Return the silver that was returned to you in the top of your bags. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.13Take your brother also, and go back at once to the man.
14And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved."14May God Almighty cause the man to be merciful to you so that he will release your other brother and Benjamin to you. As for me, if I am deprived of my sons, then I am deprived."
15So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.15The men took this gift, double the amount of silver, and Benjamin. They immediately went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon."16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, "Take the men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they will eat with me at noon."
17The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph's house.17The man did as Joseph had said and brought them to Joseph's house.
18Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, "We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys."18But the men were afraid because they were taken to Joseph's house. They said, "We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time. They intend to overpower us, seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys."
19So they went up to Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.19So they approached Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the doorway of the house.
20"We beg your pardon, our lord," they said, "we came down here the first time to buy food.20They said, "My lord, we really did come down here the first time only to buy food.
21But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver--the exact weight--in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.21When we came to the place where we lodged for the night and opened our bags of grain, each one's silver was at the top of his bag! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.
22We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don't know who put our silver in our sacks."22We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don't know who put our silver in the bags."
23"It's all right," he said. "Don't be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them.23Then the steward said, "May you be well. Don't be afraid. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your bags. I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24The steward took the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys.24The steward brought the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and got feed for their donkeys.
25They prepared their gifts for Joseph's arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.25Since the men had heard that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph's arrival at noon.
26When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.26When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had carried into the house, and they bowed to the ground before him.
27He asked them how they were, and then he said, "How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?"27He asked if they were well, and he said, "How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?"
28They replied, "Your servant our father is still alive and well." And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.28They answered, "Your servant our father is well. He is still alive." And they knelt low and paid homage to him.
29As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."29When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son."
30Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.30Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room and wept there.
31After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, "Serve the food."31Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, "Serve the meal."
32They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians.32They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is detestable to them.
33The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment.33They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment.
34When portions were served to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion was five times as much as anyone else's. So they feasted and drank freely with him.34Portions were served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin's portion was five times larger than any of theirs. They drank and became drunk with Joseph.
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The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Genesis 42
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