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The Book of Genesis
Genesis 43
- 1
- And the famine was sore in the land.
- 2
- And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn
which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again,
buy us a little food.
- 3
- And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly
protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be
with you.
- 4
- If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down
and buy thee food:
- 5
- But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for
the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with
you.
- 6
- And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as
to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
- 7
- And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state,
and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another
brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we
certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
- 8
- And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with
me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and
thou, and also our little ones.
- 9
- I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require
him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear
the blame for ever:
- 10
- For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned
this second time.
- 11
- And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so
now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry
down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and
myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
- 12
- And take double money in your hand; and the money that
was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand;
peradventure it was an oversight:
- 13
- Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the
man:
- 14
- And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he
may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my
children, I am bereaved.
- 15
- And the men took that present, and they took double
money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and
stood before Joseph.
- 16
- And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the
ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for
these men shall dine with me at noon.
- 17
- And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the
men into Joseph's house.
- 18
- And the men were afraid, because they were brought into
Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our
sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against
us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
- 19
- And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and
they communed with him at the door of the house,
- 20
- And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time
to buy food:
- 21
- And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we
opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his
sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
- 22
- And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy
food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
- 23
- And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and
the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your
money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
- 24
- And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and
gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses
provender.
- 25
- And they made ready the present against Joseph came at
noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
- 26
- And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present
which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the
earth.
- 27
- And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your
father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
- 28
- And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good
health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made
obeisance.
- 29
- And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin,
his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake
unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
- 30
- And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his
brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and
wept there.
- 31
- And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained
himself, and said, Set on bread.
- 32
- And they set on for him by himself, and for them by
themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves:
because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an
abomination unto the Egyptians.
- 33
- And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his
birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled
one at another.
- 34
- And he took and sent messes unto them from before him:
but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of their's. And they drank,
and were merry with him.
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