Gen 43 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now the famine was severe in the land .

Genesis 43

The Return to Egypt

1 ^aNow the famine was severe in the land. 2 So 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.” 3 Judah spoke to him, however, saying, “ ^bThe man sternly warned ^{▼▼Lit us, saying}us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 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 Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, ^{▼▼Lit to tell}by telling the man whether you still had another brother?” 7 But they said, “The man specifically asked about us and our relatives, saying, ‘ ^eIs your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we ^{▼▼Lit told him according to these words}answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 So Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will arise and go, ^gso that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. 9 ^hI myself will take responsibility for him! You may demand him back from ^{▼▼Lit my hand}me. If I do not bring him back to you and present him to you, then ^{▼▼Lit I will be culpable before you all the days}you can let me take the blame forever. 10 For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.”

11 Then 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 ^{▼▼Or vessels}bags, and carry down to the man ^las a gift, a little ^mbalsam and a little honey, labdanum resin and ^{▼▼Or resinous bark}myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 And take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand ^othe money that was returned in the opening of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man; 14 and may ^{▼▼Heb El Shaddai
,} ^qGod Almighty ^rgrant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you ^syour other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, ^tif I am bereaved of my sons, I am bereaved!” 15 So the men took ^uthis gift, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they set out and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

Joseph Sees Benjamin

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his ^vhouse steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make preparations; for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17 So the man did as Joseph said, and ^{▼▼Lit the man brought}brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 Now 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, so that he may ^{▼▼Lit roll himself upon us}attack us and ^{▼▼Lit fall upon}overpower us, and take us as slaves with our donkeys.” 19 So they approached Joseph’s house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, 21 and it happened when we came to the campsite, that we opened our sacks, and behold, ^zeach man’s money was in the opening of his sack, our money in ^{▼▼Lit its weight}full. So ^abwe have brought it back in our hand. 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 But he said, “Peace be to you, do not be afraid. ^acYour God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; your ^{▼▼Lit your money had come to me}money was in my possession.” Then ^aehe brought Simeon out to them. 24 Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and ^afgave them water, and they ^agwashed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. 25 So they prepared ^ahthe gift ^{▼▼Lit until}for Joseph’s arrival at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat ^{▼▼Lit bread}a meal there.

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the gift which was in their hand, and they ^akbowed down to the ground before him. 27 Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, “ ^alIs your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 And they said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” Then ^amthey bowed down again ^{▼▼I.e., great respect and honor to a superior}in homage. 29 And as he raised his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this ^aoyour youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” Then he said, “ ^apMay God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph then hurried out, for ^{▼▼Lit his compassion grew warm
,} ^arhe was deeply stirred over his brother, and he looked for a place to weep; so he entered his chamber and ^aswept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he ^atcontrolled himself and said, “ ^{▼▼Lit Set on bread}Serve the meal.” 32 Then they served him by himself, and ^{▼▼Lit them}Joseph’s brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an ^awabomination to the Egyptians. 33 Now they ^{▼▼Lit sat}were seated before him, from ^aythe firstborn according to his birthright to the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 34 Then he took portions to them from ^{▼▼Lit his face}his own table, ^babut Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank freely with him.