1The famine was very bad in the land.
2When they had eaten up the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, and buy us a little food."
3But Judah said to him, "The man warned us plainly. He said, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5"But if you will not send him, we will not go down. For the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
6Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?"
7They said, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and about our family. He said, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' And we answered his questions. How could we know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"
8Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will get up and go. Then we may live and not die, both we, and you, and our little ones as well."
9I will be the one who answers for him. You may require him from my hand. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever.
10"If we had not waited so long, by now we would have come back this second time."
11Their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this. Take some of the best fruits of the land in your bags, and carry the man a gift: a little balm, a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds."
12Take twice as much money with you. Take back also the money that was put again in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13Take your brother too. Get up, and go again to the man.
14"May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I am robbed of my children, I am robbed of them."
15So the men took that gift, and they took twice as much money with them, and Benjamin. They got up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the man in charge of his house, "Bring these men home. Kill an animal and make it ready, for these men shall eat with me at noon."
17The man did as Joseph told him, and he brought the men into Joseph's house.
18The men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house. They said, "It is because of the money that was put back in our sacks the first time. He wants to find a charge against us, and attack us, and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys."
19So they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and spoke with him at the door of the house.
20They said, "Sir, we truly came down the first time to buy food."
21When we came to the place where we stayed for the night, we opened our sacks, and look, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it back with us.
22"We have also brought more money with us to buy food. We cannot tell who put our money in our sacks."
23He said, "Peace be to you. Do not be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money." And he brought Simeon out to them.
24The man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He also gave their donkeys food.
25They got the gift ready for when Joseph came at noon, for they heard that they were to eat bread there.
26When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had with them into the house, and bowed down to the ground before him.
27He asked how they were, and said, "Is your father well, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?"
28They answered, "Your servant our father is in good health. He is still alive." And they bowed their heads and showed him honour.
29He looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, and said, "Is this your younger brother, the one you told me about?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
30Then Joseph hurried out, for his heart longed for his brother, and he looked for a place to weep. He went into his room and wept there.
31Then he washed his face and came out. He held himself in, and said, "Serve the food."
32They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves. For the Egyptians were not allowed to eat bread with the Hebrews, because that is hateful to the Egyptians.
33They sat in front of him, the firstborn by his right as firstborn, and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.
34He took portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.