Genesis Chapter 43

Genesis Chapter 43
1 Now great famine was in the land.
2 And when they had eaten up the
victual, which they had brought from
Egypt, their father said unto them, Turn
again , and buy us a little food. 3 And
Judah answered him, saying, The man
charged us by an oath, saying, Never 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,
Look me not in the face, except your
brother be with you. 6 And Israel said,
Wherefore dealt ye so evil with me, as
to tell the man, whether ye had yet a
brother or no?
7 And they answered, The man asked
straightly of ourselves and of our
kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive?
Have ye any brother? And we told him
according to these words: could we
know certainly that he would say, Bring
your brother down?
8 Then said Judah to Israel his father,
Send the boy with me, that we may rise
and go, and that we may live and not die,
both we, and thou, and our children. 9 I
will be surety for him: of mine hand
shalt thou require him. If I bring him not
to thee, and set him before thee, then let
me bear the blame forever. 10 For
except we had made this tarrying,
doubtless by this we had returned the
second time.
11 Then their father Israel said unto
them, If it must needs be so now, do
thus: take of the best fruits of the land in
your vessels, and bring the man a
present, a little rosin, 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
your sack’s mouths: carry it again in
your hand, lest it were some oversight.
13 Take also your brother and arise, and
go again to the man. 14 And God
almighty give you mercy in the sight of
the man, that he may deliver you your
other brother, and Benjamin: but I shall
be robbed of my child, as I have been.
15 Thus the men took this present, and
took twice so much money in their hand
with Benjamin, and rose up, and went
down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with
them, he said to his steward, Bring these
men home and kill meat, and make
ready: for the men shall eat with me at
noon.
17 And the man did as Joseph bade, and
brought the men unto Joseph’s house.
18 Now when the men were brought into
Joseph’s house, they were afraid, and
said, Because of the money, that came in
our sack’s mouths at the first time, are
we brought, that he may pick a quarrel
against us, and lay something to our
charge, and bring us in bondage and our
asses. 19 Therefore came they to
Joseph’s steward, and communed with
him at the door of the house.
20 And said, Oh sir, we came indeed
down hither at the first time to buy food,
21 And as we came to an inn and opened
our sacks, behold, every man’s money
was in his sack’s mouth , even our
money in full weight, but we have
brought it again in our hands.
22 Also other money have we brought in
our hands to buy food , but we cannot
tell, who put our money in our sacks.
23 And he said, Peace be unto you, fear
not: your God and the God of your father
hath given you that treasure in your
sacks, I had your money: and he brought
forth Simeon to them.
24 So the man led them into Joseph’s
house, and gave them water to wash
their feet, and gave their asses
provender.
25 And they made ready their present
against Joseph came at noon, (for they
heard say, that they should eat bread
there)
26 When Joseph came home, they
brought the present into the house to him,
which was in their hands, and bowed
down to the ground before him. 27 And
he asked them of their prosperity, and
said, Is your father the old man, of whom
ye told me, in good health? Is he yet
alive?
28 Who answered, Thy servant our
father is in good health, he is yet alive:
and they bowed down, and made
obeisance.
29 And he lifting up his eyes, beheld his
brother Benjamin his mother’s son, and
said, Is this your younger brother, of
whom ye told me? And he said, God be
merciful unto thee, my son.
30 And Joseph made haste (for his
affection was inflamed toward his
brother, and sought where to weep) and
entered into his chamber, and wept
there. 31 Afterward he washed his face,
and came out, and refrained himself, and
said, Set on meat.
32 And they prepared 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 was an abomination
unto the Egyptians.
33 So they sat before him: the eldest
according unto his age, and the youngest
according unto his youth. And the men
marveled among
themselves.
34 And they took messes from before
him, and sent to them: but Benjamin’s
mess was five times so much as any of
theirs: and they drunk, and had of the
best drink with him.