Genesis — Chapter 42

1When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?”

2“Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

3So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”

5So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan.

6Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

7And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”

8Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

9Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

10“Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food.

11We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

12“No,” he told them. “You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

13But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

14Then Joseph declared, “Just as I said, you are spies!

15And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

16Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

17So Joseph imprisoned them for three days,

18and on the third day he said to them, “I fear God. So do this and you will live:

19If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households.

20Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.

21Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

22And Reuben responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

23They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.

24And he turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.

25Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out,

26and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed.

27At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack.

28“My silver has been returned!” he said to his brothers. “It is here in my sack.” Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they described to him all that had happened to them:

30“The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.

31But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.

32We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’

33Then the man who is lord of the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go.

34But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’”

35As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed.

36Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”

37Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”

38But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”

1Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

3And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

4But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.

5And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

7And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

9And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

10And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

12And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

14And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

15Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

17And he put them all together into ward three days.

18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

19If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

20But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

21And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

22And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

23And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

24And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

25Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.

26And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

27And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.

28And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?

29And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

30The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

31And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

32We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:

34And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.

35And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

36And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

37And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

38And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

1Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

3And Joseph`s ten brethren went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4But Benjamin, Joseph`s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest Peradventure harm befall him.

5And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph`s brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.

7And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly with them; and he said unto them. Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

9And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

10And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11We are all one man`s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

12And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13And they said, We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

14And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

15hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

17And he put them all together into ward three days.

18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live: for I fear God:

19if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in your prison-house; but go ye, carry grain for the famine of your houses:

20and bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

21And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

22And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is required.

23And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

24And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spake to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.

25Then 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 unto them.

26And they laded their asses with their grain, and departed thence.

27And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the lodging-place, he espied his money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying, What is this that God hath done unto us?

29And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying,

30The man, the lord of the land, spake roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

31And we said unto him, We are true men; and we are no spies:

32we are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men: leave one of your brethren with me, and take [grain for] the famine of your houses, and go your way;

34and bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land.

35And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man`s bundle of money was in his sack: and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

36And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

37And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

38And 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 ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.

1When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?”

2He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die.”

3So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “What if some accident happens to him?”

5So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.

6Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

7When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.”

8Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

9Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!”

10But they exclaimed, “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food!

11We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.”

12“No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

13They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, and one is no longer alive.”

14But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: You are spies!

15You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

16One of you must go and get your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison. In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

17He imprisoned them all for three days.

18On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say and you will live, for I fear God.

19If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison while the rest of you go and take grain back for your hungry families.

20But you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then your words will be verified and you will not die.” They did as he said.

21They said to one another, “Surely we’re being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!”

22Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!”

23(Now they did not know that Joseph could understand them, for he was speaking through an interpreter.)

24He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, he had Simeon taken from them and tied up before their eyes.

25Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. His orders were carried out.

26So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.

27When one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.

28He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; they turned trembling to one another and said, “What in the world has God done to us?”

29They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying,

30“The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and treated us as if we were spying on the land.

31But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies!

32We are from a family of twelve brothers; we are the sons of one father. One is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father at this time in the land of Canaan.’

33“Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for your hungry households and go.

34But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’”

35When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid.

36Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me.”

37Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care and I will bring him back to you.”

38But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.”

1Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”

2He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.”

3Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.”

5The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.

7Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”

8Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him.

9Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

10They said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

11We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”

12He said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land!”

13They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is today with our father, and one is no more.”

14Joseph said to them, “It is like I told you, saying, ‘You are spies!’

15By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here.

16Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.”

17He put them all together into custody for three days.

18Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God.

19If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.

20Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.” They did so.

21They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn’t listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”

22Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and you wouldn’t listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.”

23They didn’t know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

24He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.

25Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain, and to restore each man’s money into his sack, and to give them food for the way. So it was done to them.

26They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.

27As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29They came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying,

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

31We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are no spies.

32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of Canaan.’

33The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way.

34Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”

35As they emptied their sacks, behold, each man’s bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

36Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”

37Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I don’t bring him to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him to you again.”

38He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”