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Judah Pledges for Benjamin

43 Now the famine was severe in the land. When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt their father said to them, “Go back. Buy us a little food.”

But Judah said to him, “The man warned us firmly saying, ‘You won’t see my face unless your brother is with you.’ If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy grain for you for food. But if you won’t send him, we won’t go down, because the man said to us, ‘You won’t see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

Then Israel said, “Why did you do evil to me by telling the man that you have another brother?”

They said, “The man questioned particularly about us and about our relatives saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have a brother?’ So we spoke to him on the basis of these words. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’”?

Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Please, send the boy with me and we’ll get up and go, so that we’ll live and not die—we and you, and our children. I myself will be his pledge. You can demand him back from my own hand. If I don’t bring him back to you and place him before you, then you can blame me all my days. 10 If we had not delayed, we could have returned twice by now.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and bring an offering down to the man—a little balsam and a little honey, gum and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 12 Also take in your hand a double portion of silver, and bring back in your hand the silver that had been returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother too—now, get up, go back to the man! 14 May El Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, so that he may release your other brother to you, along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

The Brothers Return With Benjamin

15 Then the men took this offering. They also took the double portion of silver in their hand, as well as Benjamin. So they got up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the one over his house, “Bring the men into the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me this afternoon. 17 So the man did as Joseph said, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. 18 But the men were afraid, because they had been brought into Joseph’s house. They said, “It’s because of the silver that was returned to our sacks the first time that we are being brought in—to pounce on us and fall on us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

19 So they approached the man who was over Joseph’s house and spoke to him at the entrance of the house. 20 “I beg your pardon, my lord!” they said. “We indeed came down on the previous occasion to buy grain for food. 21 When we came to the lodge and opened our sacks, behold, there was each man’s money at the opening of the sack, the full amount of our money. So we’ve returned it in our hand. 22 Moreover, we’ve brought down other money in our hand to buy grain for food. We didn’t know who put our money into our sacks.”

23 “Be at peace,” he replied. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. Your money had come to me.”

Then he brought Simeon out to them, 24 and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water and they washed their feet. He also provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 So they prepared the offering for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they had heard that they were going to eat there. 26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the offering in their hand into the house, and they bowed down to the ground to him. 27 Then he asked if they were well, and said, “Is he well—your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?”

28 “Your servant, our father, is well,” they said. “He’s still alive.” Then they knelt and bowed down.

29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother whom you mentioned to me?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Then Joseph hurried out because his compassion grew warm and tender toward his brother so that he wanted to cry. So he went into an inner room and wept there.

31 Then he washed his face, came out, and controlled himself. “Serve the food,” he said. 32 So they served him by himself, them by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves (for Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews because it was an abomination to Egyptians). 33 They were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. The men looked at each other in astonishment. 34 Then portions were brought to them from before him—and Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of their portions. Yet they drank and made merry with him.

The Second Journey to Egypt

43 Now the famine was still severe in the land.(A) So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt,(B) their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”(C)

But Judah(D) said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’(E) If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.(F) 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.(G)’”

Israel(H) asked, “Why did you bring this trouble(I) on me by telling the man you had another brother?”

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

Then Judah(M) said to Israel(N) 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.(O) I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him.(P) If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame(Q) before you all my life.(R) 10 As it is, if we had not delayed,(S) we could have gone and returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel(T) said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products(U) of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift(V)—a little balm(W) and a little honey, some spices(X) and myrrh,(Y) some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount(Z) of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks.(AA) Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.(AB) 14 And may God Almighty[a](AC) grant you mercy(AD) before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you.(AE) As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”(AF)

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

17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house.(AM) 18 Now the men were frightened(AN) when they were taken to his house.(AO) They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks(AP) the first time. He wants to attack us(AQ) and overpower us and seize us as slaves(AR) and take our donkeys.(AS)

19 So they went up to Joseph’s steward(AT) 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.(AU) 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.(AV) 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,(AW) has given you treasure in your sacks;(AX) I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.(AY)

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

26 When Joseph came home,(BD) they presented to him the gifts(BE) they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.(BF) 27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father(BG) you told me about? Is he still living?”(BH)

28 They replied, “Your servant our father(BI) is still alive and well.” And they bowed down,(BJ) prostrating themselves before him.(BK)

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

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

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,(BS) for that is detestable to Egyptians.(BT) 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn(BU) to the youngest;(BV) 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.(BW) So they feasted(BX) and drank freely with him.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 43:14 Hebrew El-Shaddai