Now aJacob saw
that there
was grain
in Egypt
, and Jacob
said
to his sons
, "Why
are you staring
at one another?"
He said, "Behold
, aI have heard
that there
is grain
in Egypt
; go
down
there
and buy
some for us 1from that place
, bso that we may live
and not die
."
Then ten brothers
of Joseph
went
down
to buy
grain
from Egypt
.
But Jacob did not send
Joseph's
brother
aBenjamin
with his brothers
, for he said
, " bI am afraid that harm
may befall
him."
So the sons of Israel
came
to buy
grain
among
those who were coming
, afor the famine
was in the land
of Canaan
also.
Now aJoseph was the ruler
over
the land
; he was the one who sold
to all
the people
of the land
. And Joseph's
brothers
came
and bbowed
down
to him with their faces
to the ground
.
When Joseph saw
his brothers
he recognized
them, but he disguised
himself to them and aspoke
to them harshly
. And he said
to them, "Where
have you come
from?" And they said
, "From the land
of Canaan
, to buy
food
."
But Joseph had recognized
his brothers
, although athey did not recognize
him.
Joseph aremembered
the dreams
which
he 1had
about them, and said
to them, "You are spies
; you have come
to look
at the 2undefended
parts
of our land
."
Then they said to him, "No
, amy lord
, but your servants
have come
to buy
food
.
"We are all sons
of one
man
; we are ahonest
men
, your servants
are not spies
."
Yet he said to them, "No
, but you have come
to look
at the 1undefended
parts
of our land
!"
But they said, "Your servants
are twelve
brothers
in all, the sons
of one
man
in the land
of Canaan
; and behold
, the youngest
is with aour father
today
, and bone
is no
longer
alive."
Joseph said
to them, "It is as I said
1to you, you are spies
;
by this you will be tested
: aby the life
of Pharaoh
, you shall not go
from this
place unless
your youngest
brother
comes
here
!
"Send one
of you that he may get
your brother
, while you remain confined
, that your words
may be tested
, whether there is atruth
in you. But if
not, by the life
of Pharaoh
, surely
you are spies
."
So he put them all
together
in aprison
for three
days
.
Now Joseph said
to them on the third
day
, "Do
this
and live
, for aI fear
God
:
if you are honest
men
, let one
of your brothers
be confined
in 1your prison
; but as for the rest of you, go
, carry
grain
for the famine
of your households
,
and abring your youngest
brother
to me, so your words
may be verified
, and you will not die
." And they did
so
.
Then they said to one
another
, " aTruly
we are guilty
concerning
our brother
, because
we saw
the distress
of his soul
when he pleaded
with us, yet we would not listen
; therefore
this
distress
has come
upon us."
Reuben answered
them, saying
, " aDid I not tell
1you, `Do not sin
against the boy
'; and you would not listen
? 2 bNow
comes
the reckoning
for his blood
."
They did not know, however, that Joseph
understood
, for there was an interpreter
between
them.
He turned away
from them and awept
. But when he returned
to them and spoke
to them, he btook
Simeon
from them and bound
him before their eyes
.
aThen Joseph gave
orders
to fill
their bags
with grain
and to restore
every
man's
money
in his sack
, and to give
them provisions
for the journey
. And thus
it was done
for them.
So they loaded their donkeys
with their grain
and departed
from there
.
As one of them opened
his sack
to give
his donkey
fodder
at the lodging
place
, he saw
his amoney
; and behold
, it was in the mouth
of his sack
.
Then he said to his brothers
, "My money
has been returned
, and behold
, it is even
in my sack
." And their hearts
1sank
, and they turned 2trembling
to one
another
, saying
, " aWhat
is this
that God
has done
to us?"
When they came to their father
Jacob
in the land
of Canaan
, they told
him all
that had happened
to them, saying
,
"The man, the lord
of the land
, aspoke
harshly
with us, and took
us for spies
of the country
.
"But we said to him, `We are ahonest
men
; we are not spies
.
`We are twelve brothers
, sons
of our father
; one
is no
longer
alive, and the youngest
is with our father
today
in the land
of Canaan
.'
"The man, the lord
of the land
, said
to us, ` aBy this
I will know
that you are honest
men
: leave
one
of your brothers
with me and take
grain for the famine
of your households
, and go
.
`But bring your youngest
brother
to me that I may know
that you are not spies
, but 1honest
men
. I will give
your brother
to you, and you may atrade
in the land
.' "
Now it came about as they were emptying
their sacks
, that behold
, aevery
man's
bundle
of money
was in his sack
; and when they and their father
saw
their bundles
of money
, they were dismayed
.
Their father Jacob
said
to them, "You have abereaved
me of my children
: Joseph
is no
more
, and Simeon
is no
more
, and you would take
Benjamin
; all
these things are against
me."
Then Reuben spoke
to his father
, saying
, "You may put
my two
sons
to death
if
I do not bring
him back to you; put
him in my 1care
, and I will return
him to you."
But 1Jacob said, "My son
shall not go
down
with you; for his abrother
is dead
, and he alone
is left
. bIf harm
should befall
him on the journey
2you are taking
, then you will cbring
my gray
hair
down
to Sheol
in sorrow
."