Genesis 43

The Brothers Return to Egypt

43But the famine continued to ravage the land of Canaan.H7458H3515H7762When the grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone, Jacob said to his sons, "Go back and buy us a little more food."H3615H398H7668H935H4714H1H559H7725H7666H4592H4003But Judah said, "The man was serious when he warned us, 'You won't see my face again unless your brother is with you.'H3063H559H559H376H5749H5749H559H7200H6440H1115H2514If you send Benjamin with us, we will go down and buy more food.H3426H7971H251H3381H7666H4005But if you don't let Benjamin go, we won't go either. Remember, the man said, 'You won't see my face again unless your brother is with you.'"H7971H3381H376H559H7200H6440H2516"Why were you so cruel to me?" Jacob

moaned. "Why did you tell him you had another brother?"H3478H559H7489H5046H376H2517"The man kept asking us questions about our family," they replied. "He asked, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"H559H376H7592H7592H4138H559H1H2416H3426H251H5046H5921H6310H1697H3045H3045H559H3381H251H33818Judah said to his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones.H3063H559H3478H1H7971H5288H6965H3212H2421H4191H29459I personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don't bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever.H6148H3027H1245H518H935H518H3322H6440H2398H311710If we hadn't wasted all this time, we could have gone and returned twice by now."H3884H4102H7725H647111So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, "If it can't be avoided, then at least do this. Pack your bags with the best products of this land. Take them down to the man as gifts—balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds.H1H3478H559H645H6213H3947H2173H776H3627H3381H376H4503H4592H6875H4592H1706H5219H3910H992H824712Also take double the money that was put back in your sacks, as it was probably someone's mistake.H3947H4932H3701H3027H3701H7725H6310H572H7725H3027H487013Then take your brother, and go back to the man.H3947H251H6965H7725H37614May God Almighty

give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I must lose my children, so be it."H410H7706H5414H7356H6440H376H7971H312H251H1144H834H7921H792115So the men packed Jacob's gifts and double the money and headed off with Benjamin. They finally arrived in Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.H582H3947H2063H4503H3947H4932H3701H3027H1144H6965H3381H4714H5975H6440H313016When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the manager of his household, "These men will eat with me this noon. Take them inside the palace. Then go slaughter an animal, and prepare a big feast."H3130H7200H1144H854H559H1004H935H582H1004H2873H2874H3559H582H398H667217So the man did as Joseph told him and took them into Joseph's palace.H376H6213H3130H559H376H935H582H3130H100418The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph's house. "It's because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here," they said. "He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys."H582H3372H935H3130H1004H559H1697H3701H7725H572H8462H935H1556H5307H3947H5650H2543

A Feast at Joseph’s Palace

19The brothers approached the manager of Joseph's household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace.H5066H376H3130H1004H1696H6607H100420"Sir," they said, "we came to Egypt once before to buy food.H559H994H113H3381H3381H8462H7666H40021But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man's money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we have brought it back with us.H935H4411H6605H572H376H3701H6310H572H3701H4948H7725H302722We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks."H312H3701H3381H3027H7666H400H3045H7760H3701H57223"Relax. Don't be afraid," the household manager told them. "Your God, the God of your father, must have put this treasure into your sacks. I know I received your payment." Then he released Simeon and brought him out to them.H559H7965H3372H430H430H1H5414H4301H572H935H3701H3318H809524The manager then led the men into Joseph's palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and provided food for their donkeys.H376H935H582H3130H1004H5414H4325H7364H7272H5414H2543H455425They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph's arrival at noon.H3559H4503H5704H3130H935H6672H8085H398H389926When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him.H3130H935H1004H935H4503H3027H1004H7812H77627After greeting them, he asked, "How is your father, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?"H7592H7965H559H1H7965H2205H559H241628"Yes," they replied. "Our father, your servant, is alive and well." And they bowed low again.H559H5650H1H7965H2416H6915H781229Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" Joseph asked. "May God be gracious to you, my son."H5375H5869H7200H251H1144H517H1121H559H6996H251H559H559H430H2603H112130Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept.H3130H4116H7356H3648H251H1245H1058H935H2315H105831After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, "Bring out the food!"H7364H6440H3318H662H559H7760H389932The waiters served Joseph at his own table, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them.H7760H4713H398H4713H3201H398H3899H5680H8441H471433Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest.H3427H6440H1060H1062H6810H6812H582H8539H376H745334And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him.H5375H4864H6440H1144H4864H2568H3027H7235H8354H7937