Genesis 43:1-18 ▼

1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.

2 So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt (land of bondage), their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

3 But Judah (praised) replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You⁺ will not see my face again unless your⁺ brother is with you⁺.’

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

5 But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You⁺ will not see my face again unless your⁺ brother is with you⁺.’”

6 “Why did you⁺ bring this trouble upon me?” Israel (he wrestles with God) asked. “Why did you⁺ tell the man you⁺ had another brother?”

7 They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your⁺ father still alive? Do you⁺ have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your⁺ brother here’?”

8 And Judah (praised) said to his father Israel (he wrestles with God), “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.

9 I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.

10 If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

11 Then their father Israel (he wrestles with God) said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your⁺ packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

12 Take double the silver with you⁺ so that you⁺ may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your⁺ sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.

13 Take your⁺ brother as well, and return to the man at once.

14 May God Almighty {El-Shaddai} grant you⁺ mercy before the man, that he may release your⁺ other brother along with Benjamin (son of the right hand). As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

15 So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well (son of the right hand). Then they hurried down to Egypt (land of bondage) and stood before Joseph (YHWH has added).

16 When Joseph (YHWH has added) saw Benjamin (son of the right hand) with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”

17 The man did as Joseph (YHWH has added) had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.

18 But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s (YHWH has added) house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”