B'resheet (Gen) 43
43
1But the famine was severe in the land; 2so when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” 3Y’hudah said to him, “The man expressly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food; 5but if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’” 6Isra’el said, “Why did you bring such trouble my way by telling the man you had another brother?” 7They answered, “The man kept questioning us about ourselves and about our kinsmen. He asked, ‘Is your father still alive?’ ‘Do you have another brother?’ and we answered according to the literal meaning of his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8Y’hudah said to Isra’el his father, “Send the boy with me; and we will make preparations and leave; so that we may stay alive and not die, both we and you, and also our little ones. 9I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me responsible. If I fail to bring him to you and present him to your face, let me bear the blame forever. 10Except for our lengthy delay, we would have been there again by now.”
11Their father Isra’el answered them, “If that’s how it is, do this: take in your containers some of the land’s best products, and bring the man a gift — some healing resin, a little honey, aromatic gum, opium, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12Take twice the amount of money with you; and return the money that came back with you in your packs — it could have been an oversight. 13Yes, and take your brother too; and get ready; and go again to the man. 14May El Shaddai give you favor in the man’s sight, so that he will release to you your other brother as well as Binyamin. As for me, if I must lose my children, lose them I will.” 15The men took that gift, and they took twice the money with them, and Binyamin; then they prepared, went down to Egypt and stood before Yosef.
(vi) 16When Yosef saw Binyamin with them, he said to his household manager, “Take the men inside the house, kill the animals and prepare the meat. These men will dine with me at noon.” 17The man did as Yosef ordered and brought the men into Yosef’s house.
18Upon being ushered inside Yosef’s house, the men became fearful. They said, “It’s because of the money that was returned in our packs the first time that we have been brought inside — so that he can use it as an excuse to attack us, take us as slaves and seize our donkeys too.” 19So they approached the manager of Yosef’s household and spoke to him at the entrance of the house: 20“Please, my lord, the first time we indeed came down to buy food; 21but when we got to camp, we opened our packs, and there inside our packs was each man’s money, the full amount. We have brought it back with us; 22moreover, we have brought down other money to buy food. We have no idea who put our money in our packs.” 23“Stop worrying,” he replied, “don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father put treasure in your packs. As for your money — I was the one who received it.” Then he brought Shim‘on out to them.
24The man brought the men into Yosef’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he provided fodder for their donkeys. 25Then they got their gift ready for Yosef’s arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were going to eat a meal there. 26When Yosef arrived home, they went in the house and presented him with the gift they had brought with them, then prostrated themselves before him on the ground. 27He asked them how they were and inquired, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28They answered, “Your servant our father is well; yes, he is still alive,” as they bowed in respect. 29He looked up and saw Binyamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” and added, “May God be good to you, my son.”
(vii) 30Then Yosef hurried out, because his feelings toward his brother were so strong that he wanted to cry; he went into his bedroom and there he wept. 31Then he washed his face and came out, but he controlled himself as he gave the order to serve the meal. 32They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians included at the meal by themselves — Egyptians don’t eat with Hebrews, because that is abhorrent to them. 33So they sat there facing him, the firstborn in the place of honor, the youngest in last place; and the men expressed their amazement to each other. 34Each was given his serving there in front of him, but Binyamin’s portion was five times as large as any of theirs. So they drank and enjoyed themselves with him.
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Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleGenesis 43
43
Genesis 43
1¶ And the famine was sore in the land.
2And it came to pass when they had eaten up the wheat which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
3And Judah spoke unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.
4If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
5But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down; for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.
6And Israel said, Why did ye such evil unto me as to tell the man that ye had another brother?
7And they said, The man asked us expressly 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?
8Then 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.
9I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him; if I do not bring him unto thee and set him before thee, then let me bear the sin for ever;
10for if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.
11¶ Then their father Israel answered them, If it must be so now, do this: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and take the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, aromas, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds.
12And take double money in your hands and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks; carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight.
13Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man.
14And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may let your other brother go, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my sons, I am bereaved.
15¶ Then the men took the present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin, and rose up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home and slay an animal and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
17And the man did as Joseph bade, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.
18And 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 the first time we are brought in here that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us and take us for slaves and our asses.
19And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke with him at the door of the house
20and said, my lord, we came indeed down the first time to buy food;
21and it came to pass when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; and we have brought it again in our hand.
22And we brought down other money in our hands to buy food; we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
23And he said, Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
24And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he gave their asses fodder.
25And they made ready the present waiting until 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 they had in their hand in the house and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
27And he asked them of their welfare and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?
28And they answered, Thy slave our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads and made obeisance.
29And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spoke unto me? And he said, God be merciful unto thee, my son.
30Then 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.
31And he washed his face and went out and refrained himself and said, Serve bread.
32And they served for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, who ate with him, by themselves; because the Egyptians may not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
33And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men marvelled one at another.
34And he took and sent portions unto them from before him; but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were drunk with him.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International