Study Desk

And he said, Look, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt: you get down there, and buy for us from there; that we may live, and not die.

But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob didn't send with his brothers; for he said, If I do perhaps harm will befall him.

And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

And Joseph said to them the third day, Do this, and live: for I fear God:

if you are true men, let one of your brothers be bound in your prison-house; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses:

And they said one to another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he pled with us for mercy, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come on us.

And they didn't know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provisions for the way: and thus was it done to them.

The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, Hereby shall I know that you are true men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take [grain for] the famine of your houses, and go your way;

And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left: if harm befall him by the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.

but if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

I will be surety for him; of my hand you shall require him: if I don't bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever:

for except we had lingered, surely we would have now returned a second time.

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house, and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon.

And the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money 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.

And they made ready the present against Joseph's coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

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.

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.

[And] when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, Get up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, Why have you rewarded evil for good?