Genesis 42:1-18 ▼

1 Eventually, Jacob observed that there was grain in Egypt, so he asked his sons, |Why do you keep on staring at one another?

2 Pay attention now! I've heard that there is grain in Egypt, so go down there and buy some grain for us, so we can live, instead of dying.|

3 So ten of Joseph's brothers left to buy grain from Egypt.

4 Jacob would not send Joseph's brother Benjamin to accompany them, because he was saying, |I'm afraid that he'll come to some kind of harm.|

5 Israel's sons went in a caravan that included others who were going to Egypt to buy grain, because the famine pervaded the land of Canaan, too.

6 Meanwhile, Joseph continued to be ruler over the land, in charge of selling to everyone in the land. Joseph's brothers appeared and bowed down to him, face down.

7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he knew who they were, but he remained disguised and asked them gruffly, |Where are you from?| |From the land of Canaan,| they replied. |We're here to buy food.|

8 But Joseph had already recognized his brothers, even though they had not recognized him.

9 Furthermore, Joseph remembered the dreams that he had about them. So he accused them, |You're spies! You've come here to spy on our undefended territories!|

10 |No, your majesty,| they replied. |Your servants have come here to buy food.

11 We're all sons of a common father. We're honest men, your majesty. We're not spies!|

12 But Joseph kept insisting, |It's just as I've said—you've come here to spy on our unguarded territories!|

13 |But your majesty,| they pleaded, |your servants include twelve brothers, the sons of a common father back in the land of Canaan. Please! Our youngest brother remains with our father, and the other one is no longer alive.|

14 |I'm right!| Joseph insisted. |Just as I said, you're spies!

15 So here's how we'll test you. You can bet the life of Pharaoh that you're not leaving here until your youngest brother comes here!

16 One of you is to be sent back so he can get your brother while the rest of you remain in custody. That way, we'll test whether or not you're telling the truth. If you're not, as surely as the Pharaoh lives, you're spies!|

17 Then Joseph locked them all together in prison for three days.

18 Three days later, Joseph told them, |I fear God, so do this and you'll live.