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 Josephs house.
18 And the men were afraid, because they were
brought into Josephs 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 Josephs
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 mans 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 Josephs
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 mothers 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 Benjamins mess was five times so much as any of
theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.