Genesis 42

¹Then Jacob, hearing that food was being sold in Egypt, said to his sons: “Why are you negligent?

²I have heard that wheat is being sold in Egypt. Go down and buy necessities for us, so that we may be able to live, and not be consumed by destitution.”

³And so, when ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain in Egypt,

⁴Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brothers, “Lest perhaps he may suffer harm on the journey.”

⁵And they entered into the land of Egypt with the others who traveled to buy. For the famine was in the land of Canaan.

⁶And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and grain was sold under his direction to the people. And when his brothers had reverenced him

⁷and he had recognized them, he spoke harshly, as if to foreigners, questioning them: “Where did you come from?” And they responded, “From the land of Canaan, to buy necessary provisions.”

⁸And although he knew his brothers, he was not known by them.

⁹And remembering the dreams, which he had seen in another time, he said to them: “You are scouts. You have come in order to see which parts of the land are weaker.”

¹⁰And they said: “It is not so, my lord. But your servants have arrived in order to buy food.

¹¹We are all sons of one man. We have come in peace, nor do any of your subjects devise evil.”

¹²And he answered them: “It is otherwise. You have come to examine the unguarded parts of this land.”

¹³But they said: “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father; the other is not living.”

¹⁴He said: “This is just as I have said. You are scouts.

¹⁵I will now continue to put you to the test. By the health of Pharaoh, you will not depart from here, until your youngest brother arrives.

¹⁶Send one of you and bring him. But you will be in chains, until what you have said is proven to be either true or false. Otherwise, by the health of Pharaoh, you are scouts.”

¹⁷Therefore, he delivered them into custody for three days.

¹⁸Then, on the third day, he brought them out of prison, and he said: “Do as I have said, and you will live. For I fear God.

¹⁹If you are peaceful, let one of your brothers be bound in prison. Then you may go away and carry the grain that you have bought to your houses.

²⁰And bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may be able to test your words, and you may not die.” They did as he had said,

²¹and they spoke to one another: “We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he begged us and we would not listen. For that reason, this tribulation has come upon us.”

²²And Reuben, one of them, said: “Did not I say to you, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ and you would not listen to me? See, his blood is exacted.”

²³But they did not know that Joseph understood, because he was speaking to them through an interpreter.

²⁴And he turned himself away briefly and wept. And returning, he spoke to them.

²⁵And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he ordered his ministers to fill their sacks with wheat, and to replace each one’s money in their sacks, and to give them, in addition, provisions for the way. And they did so.

²⁶Then, having loaded their donkeys with the grain, they set out.

²⁷And one of them, opening a sack to give his beast of burden fodder at the inn, looked upon the money at the sack’s mouth,

²⁸and he said to his brothers: “My money has returned to me. See, it is held in the sack.” And they were astonished and troubled, and they said to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”

²⁹And they went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, and they explained to him all the things that had befallen them, saying:

³⁰“The lord of the land spoke harshly to us, and he considered us to be scouts of the province.

³¹And we answered him: ‘We are peaceful, and we do not intend any treachery.

³²We are twelve brothers conceived of one father. One is not living; the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan.’

³³And he said to us: ‘Thus will I prove that you are peaceful. Release one of your brothers to me, and take necessary provisions for your houses, and go away,

³⁴and bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may know that you are not scouts. And this one, who is held in chains, you may be able to receive again. And thereafter, you shall have permission to buy what you want.’ ”

³⁵Having said this, when they poured out their grain, each found his money tied to the mouth of his sack. And all were terrified together.

³⁶Their father Jacob said, “You have caused me to be without children. Joseph is not living, Simeon is held in chains, and Benjamin you would carry away. All these evils have fallen back upon me.”

³⁷And Reuben answered him, “Put my two sons to death, if I do not lead him back to you. Deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to you.”

³⁸But he said: “My son will not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any adversity will befall him in the land to which you travel, you would lead my grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave.”

Genesis 42

¹And Jacob hearing that food was sold in Egypt, said to his sons: Why are ye careless?

²I have heard that wheat is sold in Egypt: Go ye down, and buy us necessaries, that we may live, and not be consumed with want.

³So the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in Egypt:

⁴Whilst Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brethren: Lest perhaps he take any harm in the journey.

⁵And they entered into the land of Egypt with others that went to buy. For the famine was in the land of Chanaan.

⁶And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and corn was sold by his direction to the people. And when his brethren had bowed down to him,

⁷And he knew them, he spoke as it were to strangers, somewhat roughly, asking them: Whence came you? They answered: From the land of Chanaan, to buy necessaries of life.

⁸And though he knew his brethren, he was not known by them.

⁹And remembering the dreams, which formerly he had dreamed, he said to them: You are spies. You are come to view the weaker parts of the land.

¹⁰But they said: It is not so, my lord; but thy servants are come to buy food.

¹¹We are all the sons of one man: we are come as peaceable men, neither do thy servants go about any evil.

¹²And he answered them: It is otherwise: you are come to consider the unfenced parts of this land.

¹³But they said: We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Chanaan: the youngest is with our father, the other is not living.

¹⁴He saith, This is it that I said: You are spies.

¹⁵I shall now presently try what you are: by the health of Pharao, you shall not depart hence, until your youngest brother come.

¹⁶Send one of you to fetch him: and you shall be in prison, till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies.

¹⁷So he put them in prison three days.

¹⁸And the third day he brought them out of prison, and said: Do as I have said, and you shall live: for I fear God.

¹⁹If you be peaceable men, let one of your brethren be bound in prison: and go ye your ways, and carry the corn that you have bought, unto your houses.

²⁰And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may find your words to be true, and you may not die. They did as he had said.

²¹And they talked one to another: We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this affliction come upon us.

²²And Ruben, one of them, said: Did not I say to you: Do not sin against the boy; and you would not hear me? Behold his blood is required.

²³And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by an interpreter.

²⁴And he turned himself away a little while, and wept: and returning, he spoke to them.

²⁵And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he commanded his servants to fill their sacks with wheat, and to put every man's money again in their sacks, and to give them besides provisions for the way: and they did so.

²⁶But they having loaded their asses with the corn went their way.

²⁷And one of them opening his sack, to give his beast provender in the inn, saw the money in the sack's mouth,

²⁸And said to his brethren: My money is given me again; behold it is in the sack. And they were astonished, and troubled, and said to one another: What is this that God hath done unto us?

²⁹And they came to Jacob their father in the land of Chanaan, and they told him all things that had befallen them, saying:

³⁰The lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us to be spies of the country.

³¹And we answered him: We are peaceable men, and we mean no plot.

³²We are twelve brethren born of one father: one is not living, the youngest is with our father in the land of Chanaan.

³³And he said to us: Hereby shall I know that you are peaceable men: Leave one of your brethren with me, and take ye necessary provision for your houses, and go your ways,

³⁴And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may know you are not spies: and you may receive this man again, that is kept in prison: and afterwards may have leave to buy what you will.

³⁵When they had told this, they poured out their corn, and every man found his money tied in the mouth of his sack: and all being astonished together,

³⁶Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen upon me.

³⁷And Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons, if I bring him not again to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to thee.

³⁸But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to hell.