Joseph’s Brothers Return with Benjamin

1And the famine was sore in the land.   severe

2And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did solemnly protest to us, saying, You^p shall not see my face, except your^p brother be with you^p.

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^p shall not see my face, except your^p brother be with you^p.

6And Israel said, Wherefore dealt you^p so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you^p had yet a brother?   why

7And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your^p father yet alive? have you^p another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your^p brother down?   directly; general idea

8And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.

9I will be surety for him; of my hand shall you require him: if I bring him not to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever:   guarantee

10For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

11And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your^p vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

12And take double money in your^p hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your^p sacks, carry it again in your^p hand; perhaps it was an oversight:

13Take also your^p brother, and arise, go again to the man:

14And God Almighty give you^p mercy before the man, that he may send away your^p other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.   El^s.f. Shaddai; deprived

15And 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.

16And 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.   kill an animal

17And the man did as Joseph bid; 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 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.   slaves

19And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

20And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

21And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every 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 other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

23And he said, Peace be to you^p, fear not: your^p God, and the God of your^p father, has given you^p treasure in your^p sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out to 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 provender.   feed

25And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.   in case

26And 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.

27And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your^p father well, the old man of whom you^p spoke? Is he yet alive?

28And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.   paid him honor

29And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your^p younger brother, of whom you^p spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to you, my son.

30And 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.   heart

31And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

32And 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 to the Egyptians.   served; loathsome

33And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.

34And he took and sent messes to them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.   portions