Genesis 42:1-22 ▼

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

2 And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us from there, and we shall live and not die.”

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

4 And Jacob did not send Benjamin, brother of Joseph, with his brothers, for he said, “Lest harm befall him.”

5 And the sons of Israel came to buy in the midst the ones coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 And Joseph—he was the ruler over the land; he was the one selling to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came, and they bowed themselves before him, noses to the earth.

7 And Joseph saw his brothers and he recognized them, and he made himself strange to them, and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “From where have you? come?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

8 And Joseph recognized his brothers, and they did not recognize him.

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

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

11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies.”

12 And he said to them, “No! But rather, you? have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

13 And they said, “Two and ten are your servants, we are brothers, sons of one man in the land of Canaan. And behold, the youngest is with our father today, and the one is no more.”

14 And Joseph said to them, “It is that which I spoke to you?, saying, You? are spies!

15 By this you? shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you? shall not go forth from this, except if your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of you? and let him bring your? brother, and you? shall be confined, and your? words shall be tested, whether truth is with you?. And if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you? are spies.”

17 And he put them all together in custody three days.

18 And Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and you will live; I fear God:

19 If you? are honest, let one of your? brothers be confined in the house of your? custody, and you? go and carry grain for the famine of your? houses.

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

21 And they said each man to his brother, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we did not listen. Upon thus, this distress has come upon us.”

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you?, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’? and you? did not listen! And also, his blood, behold, it is required.”