The Return to Egypt with Benjamin
1. Now the famine in the land was severe.
2. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
3. But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
4. If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
6. “Why did you bring this trouble upon me by telling the man that you had another brother?” Jacob asked.
7. “The man questioned us thoroughly about ourselves and our kindred,” they replied. “He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”
8. Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Then we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.
9. I will be responsible for him; you may hold me personally accountable. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the guilt before you all my life.
10. For if we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now!”
11. Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachios and almonds.
12. Take twice the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13. Take your brother also, and go back to the man.
14. May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
15. So the men took this gift, and they took twice the amount of silver with them, along with Benjamin. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves before Joseph.
Joseph’s Hospitality to His Brothers
16. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal, and prepare it, for they will dine with me at noon.”
17. So the man did as Joseph said and took them into Joseph’s house.
18. But the men were afraid because they were taken to Joseph’s house. They said, “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our sacks the first time. He wants to overpower us, seize us as slaves, and take our donkeys.”
19. So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
20. “Please, sir,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.
21. But when we arrived at the place where we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and behold, each man’s silver was in the mouth of his sack—the full amount of silver! So we have brought it back with us.
22. We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”
23. “Peace to you,” the steward replied. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, must have put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your payment.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24. The steward escorted the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided fodder for their donkeys.
25. They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.
26. When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed down before him to the ground.
27. After inquiring about their well-being, he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still alive?”
28. “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.
29. As Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
30. Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.
31. After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the meal.”
32. So they served Joseph by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were dining with him by themselves. (Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, because that is detestable to them.)
33. And they were seated before him in order of age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at one another in astonishment.
34. Portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, and Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.