Chapter 43

And the famine [was] sore in the land.

And it came to pass, when they had¹⁴ eaten² up the corn which they had brought⁵² out of Egypt, their father said⁴ unto them, Go again,³ buy³ us a little food.

And Judah spake⁴ unto him, saying,² The man did solemnly⁵³ protest⁵² unto us, saying,² Ye shall not see⁴ my face, except your brother [be] with you.

If thou wilt send¹⁸ our brother with us, we will go down⁴ and buy⁴ thee food:

But if thou wilt not send¹⁸ [him], we will not go down:⁴ for the man said¹ unto us, Ye shall not see⁴ my face, except your brother [be] with you.

And Israel said,⁴ Wherefore dealt ye [so] ill⁵² with me, [as] to tell⁵³ the man whether ye had yet a brother?

And they said,⁴ The man asked¹ us straitly² of our state, and of our kindred, saying,² [Is] your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? and we told⁵⁵ him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly² know⁴ that he would say,⁴ Bring your brother down?⁵⁴

And Judah said⁴ unto Israel his father, Send³ the lad with me, and we will arise⁴ and go;⁴ that we may live,⁴ and not die,⁴ both we, and thou, [and] also our little ones.

I will be surety⁴ for him; of my hand shalt thou require¹⁷ him: if I bring⁵² him not unto thee, and set⁵² him before thee, then let me bear the blame¹ for ever:

For except we had lingered,¹¹⁵ surely now we had returned¹ this second time.

And their father Israel said⁴ unto them, If [it must be] so now, do³ this; take³ of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down⁵⁴ the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

And take³ double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again⁹⁴ in the mouth of your sacks, carry [it] again⁵⁵ in your hand; peradventure it [was] an oversight:

Take³ also your brother, and arise,³ go again³ unto the man:

And God Almighty give⁴ you mercy before the man, that he may send away¹⁴ your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved¹ [of my children], I am bereaved.¹

And the men took⁴ that present, and they took¹ double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up,⁴ and went down⁴ to Egypt, and stood⁴ before Joseph.

And when Joseph saw⁴ Benjamin with them, he said⁴ to the ruler of his house, Bring⁵⁴ [these] men home, and slay,^{2 2874} and make ready;⁵⁴ for [these] men shall dine⁴ with me at noon.

And the man did⁴ as Joseph bade;¹ and the man brought⁵⁵ the men into Joseph's house.

And the men were afraid,⁴ because they were brought into⁹⁰ Joseph's house; and they said,⁴ Because of the money that was returned⁶ in our sacks at the first time are we brought in;⁹⁴ that he may seek occasion¹⁰⁶ against us, and fall⁹⁹ upon us, and take² us for bondmen, and our asses.

And they came near⁴ to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed¹⁷ with him at the door of the house,

And said,⁴ O sir, we came indeed² down¹ at the first time to buy² food:

And it came to pass, when we came¹ to the inn, that we opened⁴ our sacks, and, behold, [every] man's money [was] in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again⁵⁵ in our hand.

And other money have we brought down⁵² in our hands to buy² food: we cannot tell¹ who put¹ our money in our sacks.

And he said,⁴ Peace [be] to you, fear⁴ not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given¹ you treasure in your sacks: I had¹ your money. And he brought Simeon out⁵⁵ unto them.

And the man brought⁵⁵ the men into Joseph's house, and gave⁴ [them] water, and they washed⁴ their feet; and he gave⁴ their asses provender.

And they made ready⁵⁵ the present against Joseph came² at noon: for they heard¹ that they should eat⁴ bread there.

And when Joseph came⁴ home, they brought⁵⁵ him the present which [was] in their hand into the house, and bowed¹⁰¹ themselves to him to the earth.

And he asked⁴ them of [their] welfare, and said,⁴ [Is] your father well, the old man of whom ye spake?¹ [Is] he yet alive?

And they answered,⁴ Thy servant our father [is] in good health, he [is] yet alive. And they bowed down their heads,⁴ and made obeisance.¹⁰¹

And he lifted up⁴ his eyes, and saw⁴ his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said,⁴ [Is] this your younger brother, of whom ye spake¹ unto me? And he said,⁴ God be gracious⁴ unto thee, my son.

And Joseph made haste;¹⁷ for his bowels did yearn⁸ upon his brother: and he sought¹⁷ [where] to weep;² and he entered⁴ into [his] chamber, and wept⁴ there.

And he washed⁴ his face, and went out,⁴ and refrained¹⁰¹ himself, and said,⁴ Set on³ bread.

And they set on⁴ for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat⁶ with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might⁴ not eat² bread with the Hebrews; for that [is] an abomination unto the Egyptians.

And they sat⁴ before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled⁴ one at another.

And he took⁴ [and sent] messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much⁴ as any of theirs. And they drank,⁴ and were merry⁴ with him.