Genesis 42:29-38 ▼

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

30 |The man, the lord of the country, spoke harshly to us, and he put us in custody as spies of the country.

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

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

33 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 with me, and take grain for the hunger of your households, and go your way.

34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you may travel in the land.'|

35 Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that look, every man’s bag of silver was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.

36 Then their father Jacob said to them, |You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All this has come against me.|

37 Reuben spoke to his father, saying, |Kill my two sons if I do not bring him to you. Put him in my care, and I will bring him back to you.|

38 But he said, |My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should happen to him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.|