Chapter 43

  The famine was severe in the land.  

  It happened, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, 'Go again, buy us a little food.'  

  Judah spoke to him, saying, 'The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'  

  If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food,  

  but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.''  

  Israel said, 'Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?'  

  They said, 'The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?''  

  Judah said to Israel, his father, 'Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.  

  I will be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don't bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever,  

  for unless we had lingered, surely we would have returned a second time by now.'  

  Their father, Israel, said to them, 'If it be so now, do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;  

  and take double money in your hand, with the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand. Perhaps it was an oversight.  

  Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.  

  May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.'  

  The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.  

  When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, 'Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and make ready; for the men will dine with me at noon.'  

  The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph's house.  

  The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, 'Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall on us, and take us for bondservants, along with our donkeys.'  

  They came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,  

  and said, 'Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:  

  and it happened, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it again in our hand.  

  Other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food. We don't know who put our money in our sacks.'  

  He said, 'Peace be to you. Don't be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.' He brought Simeon out to them.  

  The man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys provender.  

  They made ready the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.  

  When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down themselves to him to the earth.  

  He asked them of their welfare, and said, 'Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?'  

  They said, 'Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.' They bowed the head, and did homage.  

  He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother's son, and said, 'Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?' He said, 'God be gracious to you, my son.'  

  Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought a place to weep; and he entered into his room, and wept there.  

  He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, 'Serve the meal.'  

  They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians don't eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.  

  They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with another.  

  He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.