New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”

1Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, "Why are you staring at one another?"

2And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.”

2He said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die."

3So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.

3Then ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.”

4But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "I am afraid that harm may befall him."

5And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

5So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.

6Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.

6Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

7Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”

7When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, "Where have you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."

8So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

8But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him.

9Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!”

9Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, "You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land."

10And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

10Then they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

11We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.”

11"We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies."

12But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

12Yet he said to them, "No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land!"

13And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.”

13But they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive."

14But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’

14Joseph said to them, "It is as I said to you, you are spies;

15In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

15by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here!

16Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!”

16"Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."

17So he put them all together in prison three days.

17So he put them all together in prison for three days.

18Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:

18Now Joseph said to them on the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God:

19If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.

19if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households,

20And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.

20and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die." And they did so.

21Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.”

21Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us."

22And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.”

22Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood."

23But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.

23They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them.

24And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

24He turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

25Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them.

25Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to restore every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And thus it was done for them.

26So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there.

26So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.

27But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack.

27As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money; and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”

28Then he said to his brothers, "My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack." And their hearts sank, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

29Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them, saying:

29When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying,

30“The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

30"The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

31But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.

31"But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies.

32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.’

32'We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.'

33Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone.

33"The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go.

34And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’ ”

34'But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.'"

35Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

35Now it came about as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed.

36And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.”

36Their father Jacob said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me."

37Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.”

37Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my care, and I will return him to you."

38But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.”

38But Jacob said, "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow."

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org