43:1 And the famine was intense in the land.
43:2 And it came to pass, 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.
43:3 And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did solemnly protest to us, saying, You+ will not see my face, except your+ brother be with you+.
43:4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food:
43:5 but if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, You+ will not see my face, except your+ brother be with you+.
43:6 And Israel said, Why did you+ deal so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you+ had yet a brother?
43:7 And they said, The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your+ father yet alive? Have you+ [another] brother? And we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we in any wise know that he would say, Bring your+ brother down?
43:8 And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
43:9 I will be surety for him; of my hand you will require him: if I don't bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever:
43:10 for except we had lingered, surely we would have now returned a second time.
43:11 And their father Israel said to them, If it is so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your+ vessels, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
43:12 and take double the silver in your+ hand; and the silver that was returned in the mouth of your+ sacks carry again in your+ hand; perhaps it was an oversight:
43:13 take also your+ brother, and arise, go again to the man:
43:14 and God Almighty give you+ mercy before the man, that he may release to you+ your+ other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
43:15 And the men took that present, and they took double the silver in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
43:16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house, and slay, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.
43:17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men to Joseph's house.
43:18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the silver that was returned in our sacks at the first time, we are brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall on us, and take us for slaves, and our donkeys.
43:19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
43:20 and said, Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
43:21 and it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, look, every man's silver was in the mouth of his sack, our silver in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
43:22 And other silver we have brought down in our hand to buy food: we don't know who put our silver in our sacks.
43:23 And 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 had your+ silver. And he brought Simeon out to them.
43:24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. And he gave their donkeys fodder.
43:25 And they made ready the present against Joseph's coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
43:26 And 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.
43:27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your+ father well, the old man of whom you+ spoke? Is he yet alive?
43:28 And they said, Your slave our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.
43:29 And 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? And he said, God be gracious to you, my son.
43:30 And Joseph hurried; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
43:31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
43:32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is disgusting to the Egyptians.
43:33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marveled one with another.
43:34 And he took [and sent] messes to them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.