New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

1But the famine continued to ravage the land of Canaan.

1Now the famine was severe in the land.

2When the grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone, Jacob said to his sons, “Go back and buy us a little more 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, “The man was serious when he warned us, ‘You won’t see my face again 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 send Benjamin with us, we will go down and buy more food.

4"If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

5But if you don’t let Benjamin go, we won’t go either. Remember, the man said, ‘You won’t see my face again 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.'"

6“Why were you so cruel to me?” Jacob moaned. “Why did you tell him you had another brother?”

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

7“The man kept asking us questions about our family,” they replied. “He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”

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 '?"

8Judah said to his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and 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 personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to 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 hadn’t wasted all this time, we could have gone and returned twice by now.”

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

11So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, “If it can’t be avoided, then at least do this. Pack your bags with the best products of this land. Take them down to the man as gifts—balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, 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.

12Also take double the money that was put back in your sacks, as it was probably someone’s mistake.

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.

13Then take your brother, and go back to the man.

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

14May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I must lose my children, so be it.”

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 packed Jacob’s gifts and double the money and headed off with Benjamin. They finally arrived in Egypt and presented themselves to 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 manager of his household, “These men will eat with me this noon. Take them inside the palace. Then go slaughter an animal, and prepare a big feast.”

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."

17So the man did as Joseph told him and took them into Joseph’s palace.

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

18The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph’s house. “It’s because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here,” they said. “He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.” A Feast at Joseph’s Palace

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."

19The brothers approached the manager of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace.

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

20“Sir,” they said, “we came to Egypt once before to buy food.

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

21But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man’s money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we have brought it back 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.

22We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea 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."

23“Relax. Don’t be afraid,” the household manager told them. “Your God, the God of your father, must have put this treasure into your sacks. I know I received your payment.” Then he released Simeon and brought him 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.

24The manager then led the men into Joseph’s palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and provided food for their donkeys.

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 were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon.

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 gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him.

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.

27After greeting them, he asked, “How is your father, the old man you spoke about? 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?"

28“Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low again.

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

29Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “May 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 from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept.

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.

31After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!”

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

32The waiters served Joseph at his own table, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them.

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.

33Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest.

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.

34And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely 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.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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