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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. |