43
1 But the famine prevailed in the land. 2 And it was when they had ended to eat the corn which they had brought from Mizraim, that their father said to them, Return, and buy for us a little corn. 3 And Jehuda spake to him, saying, The man attesting attested to us, saying, You shall not see my face unless your brother be with you. 4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee corn; 5 But if thou wilt not send, we will not go down: for the man told us, You shall not see my face unless your brother be with you. 6 And Israel said, Why did you do me this evil, in showing the man that you have a brother? 7 And they said, The man asking asked us concerning our family, saying, Is your father yet alive? Have you a brother? And we showed him according to the word of these things: knowing could we know that be would say, Bring your brother to me? 8 And Jehuda said to Israel his father, Send the youth with me, and let us arise and go, that we may live and not die, we, and thou, and our little ones. 9 I will be the pledge for him; of my hand shalt thou require him; if I do not bring him back to thee, and set him before thee, let mine be the sin with thee all the days. 10 For except we had delayed in this, we might now have returned twice.
11 And Israel their father said to them, If then it is to be, do this: take of what is praiseworthy in the land in your vessels, and carry down to the man an offering; a little gum, and a little honey, storax and ladanum, nuts and almonds; and silver, 12 two for one take in your hands, even the silver which was returned in the mouth of your bags take back in your hands; perhaps it was an oversight. 13 And take your brother, and arise, return to the man; 14 And God the Almighty give you favour before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And I, when desolated, shall be desolate! 15 And the men took that offering, and the money two for one took they in their hands; and they took Benjamin, and arose, and went down into Mizraim, and stood before Joseph.
16 And Joseph saw Benjamin with them; and he said to him who was appointed over his house, Bring the men into the house, and kill a killing and prepare; for the men shall eat with me at dinner. 17 And the man did as Joseph had said; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. 18 And the men were afraid because they were brought into the, house of Joseph; and said, It is on account of the money that was returned in our baggage at first, that we are brought in, that he might domineer over us, and find occasion against us, and take possession of us as slaves, and seize upon our asses. 19 And they drew near the man who was set over Joseph’s house, 20 and spake with him at the gate of the house, and said, We entreat my lord (to hear us). Descending we came down at first to buy corn. 21 And it was while we were at the resting-place, we opened our baggage, and, behold, a man’s silver was in the mouth of the bag; the silver in its weight. But we have returned it in our hand. 22 And other silver have we brought in our hand to buy corn. We knew not who put the silver in our baggage. 23 And he said, Peace be to you: fear not; your God, and the God of your father, gave you treasure in, your bags; your money came to me. And he brought out Shemeon to them. 24 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender for their asses. 25 And they made ready the offering against the entrance of Joseph to dinner: for they had heard that there they were to eat bread.
26 And Joseph entered the house, and they brought to him the offering which was in their hands into the house; and they bowed to him upon the ground. 27 And he saluted them, and said, Is your father well, the old man you spake of? Is he yet alive? 28 And they said, It is well with thy servant our father, he is yet alive; and they bowed and worshipped. 29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, the son of his mother; and he said, Is this your youngest brother of whom you spake to me? And he said, Mercy from the Lord be upon thee, my son 30 And Joseph made haste, for his bowels were commoved over his brother, and he sought (where) to weep; and he entered into the chamber, the place of sleeping, and wept there. 31 And he washed his face, and came out, and was comforted, and said, Put on bread; 32 And they set for him alone, and for them alone, and for the Mizraee who ate with him, alone. For the Mizraee might not eat bread with the Hivraee, because the animals that the Mizraee worshipped the Hivraee did eat. 33 And they reclined before him, the chief according to his chiefship, and the less according to his minority; and the men wondered, each man at his companion. 34 And portions were brought from him, and set before them, and greater was Benjamin’s portion than the portions of them all five portions. And they drank and were merry with him.