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, that their father said unto them: 'Go again, buy
us a little food.'
3 And Judah spoke unto him, saying: 'The man did earnestly
forewarn 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 straitly concerning
ourselves, and concerning 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
in any wise 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 we had now returned a
second time.'
11 And their father Israel said unto them: 'If it be so now,
do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down
the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and ladanum, nuts,
and almonds;
12 and take double money in your hand; and the money that was
returned in the mouth of your sacks carry back in your hand; peradventure it was
an oversight;
13 take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man;
14 and G-d Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he
may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, 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
steward of his house: 'Bring the men into the house, and kill the beasts, and
prepare the meat; for the 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 spoke unto him at the door of the house,
20 and said: 'Oh my lord, we came indeed down at the first
time to buy food.
21 And it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place,
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 back in our hand.
22 And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy
food. We know not who put our money in our sacks.'
23 And he said: 'Peace be to you, fear not; your G-d, and the
G-d 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's coming 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 down 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 spoke? Is he yet alive?'
28 And they said: 'Thy servant our father is well, he is yet
alive.' And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.
29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother,
his mother's son, and said: 'Is this your youngest brother of whom ye spoke unto
me?' And he said: 'G-d be gracious unto thee, my son.'
30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned toward his
brother; and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept
there.
31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he 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, that 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 marveled one
with another.
34 And portions were taken unto them from before him; but
Benjamin's portion was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and
were merry with him.