English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Now the famine was severe in the land.

1Now the famine was severe in the land.

2And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.”

2So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food."

3But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’

3Judah spoke to him, however, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, '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 you food.

4"If you 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 shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”

5"But if you do 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.'"

6Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?”

6Then Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?"

7They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

7But they said, "The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down '?"

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

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

9I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

9"I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever.

10If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”

10"For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice."

11Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

11Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.

12Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

12"Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.

13Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.

13"Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man;

14May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

14and may God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

15So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

15So the men took this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.”

16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his house steward, "Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon."

17The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph’s house.

17So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house.

18And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.”

18Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys."

19So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door of the house,

19So they came near to Joseph's house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house,

20and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.

20and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,

21And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us,

21and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full. So we have brought it back in our hand.

22and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”

22"We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks."

23He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

23He said, "Be at ease, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder,

24Then the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder.

25they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

25So they prepared the present for Joseph's coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.

26When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.

26When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him.

27And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”

27Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, "Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

28They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.

28They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." They bowed down in homage.

29And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!”

29As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son."

30Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.

30Joseph hurried out for he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there.

31Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.”

31Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, "Serve the meal."

32They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

32So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is loathsome to the Egyptians.

33And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.

33Now they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.

34Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

34He took portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

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