Dinah and the Shechemites

34 Now Dinah,^(A) the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. ² When Shechem^(B) son of Hamor^(C) the Hivite,^(D) the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and raped her.^{(E) 3} His heart was drawn to Dinah^(F) daughter of Jacob;^(G) he loved^(H) the young woman and spoke tenderly^(I) to her. ⁴ And Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as my wife.”^(J)

⁵ When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled,^(K) his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he did nothing about it until they came home.

⁶ Then Shechem’s father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob.^{(L) 7} Meanwhile, Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked^(M) and furious,^(N) because Shechem had done an outrageous thing in^[a] Israel^(O) by sleeping with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.^(P)

⁸ But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.^{(Q) 9} Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves.^{(R) 10} You can settle among us;^(S) the land is open to you.^(T) Live in it, trade^[b] in it,^(U) and acquire property in it.^(V)”

¹¹ Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes,^(W) and I will give you whatever you ask. ¹² Make the price for the bride^(X) and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the young woman as my wife.”

¹³ Because their sister Dinah had been defiled,^(Y) Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully^(Z) as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. ¹⁴ They said to them, “We can’t do such a thing; we can’t give our sister to a man who is not circumcised.^(AA) That would be a disgrace to us. ¹⁵ We will enter into an agreement with you on one condition^(AB) only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males.^{(AC) 16} Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves.^(AD) We’ll settle among you and become one people with you.^{(AE) 17} But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we’ll take our sister and go.”

¹⁸ Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. ¹⁹ The young man, who was the most honored^(AF) of all his father’s family, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter.^{(AG) 20} So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city^(AH) to speak to the men of their city. ²¹ “These men are friendly toward us,” they said. “Let them live in our land and trade in it;^(AI) the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours.^{(AJ) 22} But the men will agree to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised,^(AK) as they themselves are. ²³ Won’t their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours?^(AL) So let us agree to their terms, and they will settle among us.^(AM)”

²⁴ All the men who went out of the city gate^(AN) agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.

²⁵ Three days later, while all of them were still in pain,^(AO) two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon^(AP) and Levi,^(AQ) Dinah’s brothers, took their swords^(AR) and attacked the unsuspecting city,^(AS) killing every male.^{(AT) 26} They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword^(AU) and took Dinah^(AV) from Shechem’s house and left. ²⁷ The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city^(AW) where^[c] their sister had been defiled.^{(AX) 28} They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys^(AY) and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields.^{(AZ) 29} They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children,^(BA) taking as plunder^(BB) everything in the houses.^(BC)

³⁰ Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble^(BD) on me by making me obnoxious^(BE) to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land.^(BF) We are few in number,^(BG) and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”

³¹ But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?^(BH)”

Jacob Returns to Bethel

35 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel^(BI) and settle there, and build an altar^(BJ) there to God,^(BK) who appeared to you^(BL) when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”^(BM)

² So Jacob said to his household^(BN) and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods^(BO) you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.^{(BP) 3} Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God,^(BQ) who answered me in the day of my distress^(BR) and who has been with me wherever I have gone.^(BS)” ⁴ So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears,^(BT) and Jacob buried them under the oak^(BU) at Shechem.^{(BV) 5} Then they set out, and the terror of God^(BW) fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.^(BX)

⁶ Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz^(BY) (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.^{(BZ) 7} There he built an altar,^(CA) and he called the place El Bethel,^[d](CB) because it was there that God revealed himself to him^(CC) when he was fleeing from his brother.^(CD)

⁸ Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse,^(CE) died and was buried under the oak^(CF) outside Bethel.^(CG) So it was named Allon Bakuth.^[e]

⁹ After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram,^[f](CH) God appeared to him again and blessed him.^{(CI) 10} God said to him, “Your name is Jacob,^[g] but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.^[h]”^(CJ) So he named him Israel.

¹¹ And God said to him, “I am God Almighty^[i];^(CK) be fruitful and increase in number.^(CL) A nation^(CM) and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.^{(CN) 12} The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.^(CO)”^{(CP) 13} Then God went up from him^(CQ) at the place where he had talked with him.

¹⁴ Jacob set up a stone pillar^(CR) at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering^(CS) on it; he also poured oil on it.^{(CT) 15} Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.^[j](CU)

The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac^(CV)

¹⁶ Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath,^(CW) Rachel^(CX) began to give birth and had great difficulty. ¹⁷ And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife^(CY) said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.”^{(CZ) 18} As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni.^[k](DA) But his father named him Benjamin.^[l](DB)

¹⁹ So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath^(DC) (that is, Bethlehem^(DD)). ²⁰ Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day^(DE) that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.^(DF)

²¹ Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.^{(DG) 22} While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine^(DH) Bilhah,^(DI) and Israel heard of it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

These were the sons of Jacob,^(DU) who were born to him in Paddan Aram.^(DV)

²⁷ Jacob came home to his father Isaac^(DW) in Mamre,^(DX) near Kiriath Arba^(DY) (that is, Hebron),^(DZ) where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.^{(EA) 28} Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years.^{(EB) 29} Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people,^(EC) old and full of years.^(ED) And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.^(EE)

Esau’s Descendants^(EF)(EG)

36 This is the account^(EH) of the family line of Esau (that is, Edom).^(EI)

⁹ This is the account^(EY) of the family line of Esau the father of the Edomites^(EZ) in the hill country of Seir.

¹⁵ These were the chiefs^(FK) among Esau’s descendants:

¹⁹ These were the sons of Esau^(FU) (that is, Edom),^(FV) and these were their chiefs.^(FW)

²⁰ These were the sons of Seir the Horite,^(FX) who were living in the region:

The Rulers of Edom^(GH)

³¹ These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king^(GI) reigned:

⁴⁰ These were the chiefs^(GO) descended from Esau, by name, according to their clans and regions:

This is the family line of Esau, the father of the Edomites.^(GP)

Joseph’s Dreams

37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed,^(GQ) the land of Canaan.^(GR)

² This is the account^(GS) of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph,^(GT) a young man of seventeen,^(GU) was tending the flocks^(GV) with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah^(GW) and the sons of Zilpah,^(GX) his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report^(GY) about them.

³ Now Israel^(GZ) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons,^(HA) because he had been born to him in his old age;^(HB) and he made an ornate^[r] robe^(HC) for him.^{(HD) 4} When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him^(HE) and could not speak a kind word to him.

⁵ Joseph had a dream,^(HF) and when he told it to his brothers,^(HG) they hated him all the more.^{(HH) 6} He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: ⁷ We were binding sheaves^(HI) of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”^(HJ)

⁸ His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?”^(HK) And they hated him all the more^(HL) because of his dream and what he had said.

⁹ Then he had another dream,^(HM) and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars^(HN) were bowing down to me.”^(HO)

¹⁰ When he told his father as well as his brothers,^(HP) his father rebuked^(HQ) him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”^{(HR) 11} His brothers were jealous of him,^(HS) but his father kept the matter in mind.^(HT)

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

¹² Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem,^{(HU) 13} and Israel^(HV) said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem.^(HW) Come, I am going to send you to them.”

“Very well,” he replied.

¹⁴ So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers^(HX) and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.^(HY)

When Joseph arrived at Shechem, ¹⁵ a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”

¹⁶ He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”

¹⁷ “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.^(HZ)’”

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. ¹⁸ But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.^(IA)

¹⁹ “Here comes that dreamer!^(IB)” they said to each other. ²⁰ “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns^(IC) and say that a ferocious animal^(ID) devoured him.^(IE) Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”^(IF)

²¹ When Reuben^(IG) heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.^{(IH) 22} “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern^(II) here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.^(IJ)

²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe^(IK) he was wearing— ²⁴ and they took him and threw him into the cistern.^(IL) The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵ As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites^(IM) coming from Gilead.^(IN) Their camels were loaded with spices, balm^(IO) and myrrh,^(IP) and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.^(IQ)

²⁶ Judah^(IR) said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?^{(IS) 27} Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother,^(IT) our own flesh and blood.^(IU)” His brothers agreed.

²⁸ So when the Midianite^(IV) merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern^(IW) and sold^(IX) him for twenty shekels^[s] of silver^(IY) to the Ishmaelites,^(IZ) who took him to Egypt.^(JA)

²⁹ When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.^{(JB) 30} He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”^(JC)

³¹ Then they got Joseph’s robe,^(JD) slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.^{(JE) 32} They took the ornate robe^(JF) back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”

³³ He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal^(JG) has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”^(JH)

³⁴ Then Jacob tore his clothes,^(JI) put on sackcloth^(JJ) and mourned for his son many days.^{(JK) 35} All his sons and daughters came to comfort him,^(JL) but he refused to be comforted.^(JM) “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son^(JN) in the grave.^(JO)” So his father wept for him.

³⁶ Meanwhile, the Midianites^[t](JP) sold Joseph^(JQ) in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.^(JR)

Judah and Tamar

38 At that time, Judah^(JS) left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam^(JT) named Hirah.^{(JU) 2} There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua.^(JV) He married her and made love to her; ³ she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.^{(JW) 4} She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.^{(JX) 5} She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah.^(JY) It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.

⁶ Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.^{(JZ) 7} But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight;^(KA) so the Lord put him to death.^(KB)

⁸ Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.”^{(KC) 9} But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. ¹⁰ What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.^(KD)

¹¹ Judah then said to his daughter-in-law^(KE) Tamar,^(KF) “Live as a widow in your father’s household^(KG) until my son Shelah^(KH) grows up.”^(KI) For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s household.

¹² After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua,^(KJ) died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah,^(KK) to the men who were shearing his sheep,^(KL) and his friend Hirah the Adullamite^(KM) went with him.

¹³ When Tamar^(KN) was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,”^{(KO) 14} she took off her widow’s clothes,^(KP) covered herself with a veil^(KQ) to disguise herself, and then sat down^(KR) at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.^(KS) For she saw that, though Shelah^(KT) had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.

¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute,^(KU) for she had covered her face. ¹⁶ Not realizing^(KV) that she was his daughter-in-law,^(KW) he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.”^(KX)

“And what will you give me to sleep with you?”^(KY) she asked.

¹⁷ “I’ll send you a young goat^(KZ) from my flock,” he said.

“Will you give me something as a pledge^(LA) until you send it?” she asked.

¹⁸ He said, “What pledge should I give you?”

“Your seal^(LB) and its cord, and the staff^(LC) in your hand,” she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.^{(LD) 19} After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes^(LE) again.

²⁰ Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite^(LF) in order to get his pledge^(LG) back from the woman, but he did not find her. ²¹ He asked the men who lived there, “Where is the shrine prostitute^(LH) who was beside the road at Enaim?”

“There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here,” they said.

²² So he went back to Judah and said, “I didn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, ‘There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here.’”

²³ Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has,^(LI) or we will become a laughingstock.^(LJ) After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.”

²⁴ About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.”

Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”^(LK)

²⁵ As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.”^(LL)

²⁶ Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I,^(LM) since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.^(LN)” And he did not sleep with her again.

²⁷ When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.^{(LO) 28} As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife^(LP) took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist^(LQ) and said, “This one came out first.” ²⁹ But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out,^(LR) and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez.^{[u](LS) 30} Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist,^(LT) came out. And he was named Zerah.^[v](LU)

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,^(A) he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” ² He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us,^(B) so that we may live and not die.”^(C)

³ Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain^(D) from Egypt. ⁴ But Jacob did not send Benjamin,^(E) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.^{(F) 5} So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,^(G) for there was famine in the land of Canaan^(H) also.^(I)

⁶ Now Joseph was the governor of the land,^(J) the person who sold grain to all its people.^(K) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.^{(L) 7} As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.^(M) “Where do you come from?”^(N) he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.^{(O) 9} Then he remembered his dreams^(P) about them and said to them, “You are spies!^(Q) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(R)

¹⁰ “No, my lord,^(S)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.^{(T) 11} We are all the sons of one man. Your servants^(U) are honest men,^(V) not spies.^(W)”

¹² “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(X)

¹³ But they replied, “Your servants^(Y) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.^(Z) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”^(AA)

¹⁴ Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!^{(AB) 15} And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,^(AC) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.^{(AD) 16} Send one of your number to get your brother;^(AE) the rest of you will be kept in prison,^(AF) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.^(AG) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!^(AH)” ¹⁷ And he put them all in custody^(AI) for three days.

¹⁸ On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:^{(AJ) 19} If you are honest men,^(AK) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,^(AL) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.^{(AM) 20} But you must bring your youngest brother to me,^(AN) so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

²¹ They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.^(AO) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress^(AP) has come on us.”

²² Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?^(AQ) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting^(AR) for his blood.”^{(AS) 23} They did not realize^(AT) that Joseph could understand them,^(AU) since he was using an interpreter.

²⁴ He turned away from them and began to weep,^(AV) but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.^(AW)

²⁵ Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain,^(AX) to put each man’s silver back in his sack,^(AY) and to give them provisions^(AZ) for their journey.^(BA) After this was done for them, ²⁶ they loaded their grain on their donkeys^(BB) and left.

²⁷ At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey,^(BC) and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.^{(BD) 28} “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”

Their hearts sank^(BE) and they turned to each other trembling^(BF) and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”^(BG)

²⁹ When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan,^(BH) they told him all that had happened to them.^(BI) They said, ³⁰ “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us^(BJ) and treated us as though we were spying on the land.^{(BK) 31} But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.^{(BL) 32} We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’^(BM)

³³ “Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go.^{(BN) 34} But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men.^(BO) Then I will give your brother back to you,^(BP) and you can trade^[a] in the land.^(BQ)’”

³⁵ As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver!^(BR) When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.^{(BS) 36} Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more,^(BT) and now you want to take Benjamin.^(BU) Everything is against me!^(BV)”

³⁷ Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care,^(BW) and I will bring him back.”^(BX)

³⁸ But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead^(BY) and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him^(BZ) on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave^(CA) in sorrow.^(CB)”

The Second Journey to Egypt

43 Now the famine was still severe in the land.^{(CC) 2} So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt,^(CD) their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”^(CE)

³ But Judah^(CF) said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’^{(CG) 4} If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.^{(CH) 5} But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.^(CI)’”

⁶ Israel^(CJ) asked, “Why did you bring this trouble^(CK) on me by telling the man you had another brother?”

⁷ They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’^(CL) he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’^(CM) We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”^(CN)

⁸ Then Judah^(CO) said to Israel^(CP) his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.^{(CQ) 9} I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him.^(CR) If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame^(CS) before you all my life.^{(CT) 10} As it is, if we had not delayed,^(CU) we could have gone and returned twice.”

¹¹ Then their father Israel^(CV) said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products^(CW) of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift^(CX)—a little balm^(CY) and a little honey, some spices^(CZ) and myrrh,^(DA) some pistachio nuts and almonds. ¹² Take double the amount^(DB) of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks.^(DC) Perhaps it was a mistake. ¹³ Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.^{(DD) 14} And may God Almighty^[b](DE) grant you mercy^(DF) before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you.^(DG) As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”^(DH)

¹⁵ So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver,^(DI) and Benjamin also. They hurried^(DJ) down to Egypt and presented themselves^(DK) to Joseph. ¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin^(DL) with them, he said to the steward of his house,^(DM) “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal;^(DN) they are to eat with me at noon.”

¹⁷ The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house.^{(DO) 18} Now the men were frightened^(DP) when they were taken to his house.^(DQ) They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks^(DR) the first time. He wants to attack us^(DS) and overpower us and seize us as slaves^(DT) and take our donkeys.^(DU)”

¹⁹ So they went up to Joseph’s steward^(DV) and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. ²⁰ “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.^{(DW) 21} But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.^{(DX) 22} We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

²³ “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father,^(DY) has given you treasure in your sacks;^(DZ) I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.^(EA)

²⁴ The steward took the men into Joseph’s house,^(EB) gave them water to wash their feet^(EC) and provided fodder for their donkeys. ²⁵ They prepared their gifts^(ED) for Joseph’s arrival at noon,^(EE) because they had heard that they were to eat there.

²⁶ When Joseph came home,^(EF) they presented to him the gifts^(EG) they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.^{(EH) 27} He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father^(EI) you told me about? Is he still living?”^(EJ)

²⁸ They replied, “Your servant our father^(EK) is still alive and well.” And they bowed down,^(EL) prostrating themselves before him.^(EM)

²⁹ As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son,^(EN) he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?”^(EO) And he said, “God be gracious to you,^(EP) my son.” ³⁰ Deeply moved^(EQ) at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept^(ER) there.

³¹ After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself,^(ES) said, “Serve the food.”^(ET)

³² They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews,^(EU) for that is detestable to Egyptians.^{(EV) 33} The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn^(EW) to the youngest;^(EX) and they looked at each other in astonishment. ³⁴ When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s.^(EY) So they feasted^(EZ) and drank freely with him.

A Silver Cup in a Sack

44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house:^(FA) “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.^{(FB) 2} Then put my cup,^(FC) the silver one,^(FD) in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

³ As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.^{(FE) 4} They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward,^(FF) “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?^{(FG) 5} Isn’t this the cup^(FH) my master drinks from and also uses for divination?^(FI) This is a wicked thing you have done.’”

⁶ When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. ⁷ But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants^(FJ) to do anything like that!^{(FK) 8} We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan^(FL) the silver^(FM) we found inside the mouths of our sacks.^(FN) So why would we steal^(FO) silver or gold from your master’s house? ⁹ If any of your servants^(FP) is found to have it, he will die;^(FQ) and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.^(FR)”