Gen 43 | NASB1995 | 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, ^b“The man solemnly 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 questioned particularly 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 Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, ^gthat we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. 9 ^h“I myself will be surety for him; ^{▼▼ Lit from my hand you may require him}you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then ^{▼▼ Lit I shall have sinned before you all the days}let me bear the blame before you 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 present, a little ^{▼▼ Or mastic
,} ⁿbalm and a little honey, ^{▼▼ Or ladanum spice}aromatic gum and ^{▼▼ Or resinous bark}myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 “Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand ^qthe money that was returned in the mouth 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
,} ^sGod Almighty ^tgrant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you ^uyour other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, ^vif I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 15 So the men took ^wthis present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

Joseph Sees Benjamin

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his ^xhouse steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; 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, that he may ^{▼▼ Lit roll himself upon us}seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys.” 19 So they came near to 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 came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, ^aaeach man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in ^{▼▼ Lit its weight}full. So ^acwe 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 He said, ^{▼▼ Lit Peace be to you}“Be at ease, do not be afraid. ^aeYour God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; ^{▼▼ Lit your money had come to me}I had your money.” Then ^aghe brought Simeon out to them. 24 Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and ^ahgave them water, and they ^aiwashed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder. 25 So they prepared ^ajthe present ^{▼▼ Lit until}for Joseph’s coming 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 present which was in their hand and ^ambowed to the ground before him. 27 Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, ^an“Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” ^aoThey bowed down ^{▼▼ Lit and prostrated themselves}in homage. 29 As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this ^aqyour youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, ^ar“May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph hurried out for ^{▼▼ Lit his compassion grew warm
,} ^athe was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and ^auwept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he ^avcontrolled himself and said, ^{▼▼ Lit Set on bread}“Serve the meal.” 32 So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is ^{▼▼ Lit an abomination
,} ^ayloathsome to the Egyptians. 33 Now they ^{▼▼ Lit sat}were seated before him, ^bathe firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 34 He took portions to them from ^{▼▼ Lit his face}his own table, ^bcbut Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.