Chapter 43

  Now the land was in bitter need of food.  

  And when the grain which they had got in Egypt was all used up, their father said to them, Go again and get us a little food.  

  And Judah said to him, The man said to us with an oath, You are not to come before me again without your brother.  

  If you will let our brother go with us, we will go down and get food:  

  But if you will not send him, we will not go down: for the man said to us, You are not to come before me if your brother is not with you.  

  And Israel said, Why were you so cruel to me as to say to him that you had a brother?  

  And they said, The man put a number of questions to us about ourselves and our family, saying, Is your father still living? have you another brother? And we had to give him answers; how were we to have any idea that he would say, Come back with your brother?  

  Then Judah said to Israel, his father, Send the boy with me, and let us be up and going, so that we and you and our little ones may not come to destruction.  

  Put him into my care and make me responsible for him: if I do not give him safely back to you, let mine be the sin for ever.  

  Truly, if we had not let the time go by, we might have come back again by now.  

  Then their father Israel said to them, If it has to be so, then do this: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels to give the man, perfumes and honey and spices and nuts:  

  And take twice as much money with you; that is to say, take back the money which was put in your bags, for it may have been an error;  

  And take your brother and go back to the man:  

  And may God, the Ruler of all, give you mercy before the man, so that he may give you back your other brother and Benjamin. If my children are to be taken from me; there is no help for it.  

  So they took what their father said for the man, and twice as much money in their hands, and Benjamin, and went on their journey to Egypt, and came before Joseph.  

  And when Joseph saw Benjamin, he said to his chief servant, Take these men into my house, and make ready a meal, for they will take food with me in the middle of the day.  

  And the servant did as Joseph said, and took the men into Joseph's house.  

  Now the men were full of fear because they had been taken into Joseph's house and they said, It is because of the money which was put back in our bags the first time; he is looking for something against us, so that he may come down on us and take us and our asses for his use.  

  So they went up to Joseph's chief servant at the door of the house,  

  And said, O my lord, we only came down the first time to get food;  

  And when we came to our night's resting-place, on opening our bags we saw that every man's money was in the mouth of his bag, all our money in full weight: and we have it with us to give it back;  

  As well as more money, with which to get food: we have no idea who put our money in our bags.  

  Then the servant said, Peace be with you: have no fear: your God, even the God of your father, has put wealth in your bags for you: I had your money. Then he let Simeon come out to them.  

  And the servant took them into Joseph's house, and gave them water for washing their feet; and he gave their asses food.  

  And they got ready the things for Joseph before he came in the middle of the day: for word was given to them that they were to have a meal there.  

  And when Joseph came in, they gave him the things which they had for him, and went down to the earth before him.  

  And he said, How are you? is your father well, the old man of whom you were talking to me? is he still living?  

  And they said, Your servant, our father, is well, he is still living. And they went down on their faces before him.  

  Then, lifting up his eyes, he saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother's son, and he said, Is this your youngest brother of whom you gave me word? And he said, God be good to you, my son.  

  Then Joseph's heart went out to his brother, and he went quickly into his room, for he was overcome with weeping.  

  Then, after washing his face, he came out, and controlling his feelings said, Put food before us.  

  And they put a meal ready for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who were with him by themselves; because the Egyptians may not take food with the Hebrews, for that would make them unclean.  

  And they were all given their seats before him in order of birth, from the oldest to the youngest: so that they were looking at one another in wonder.  

  And Joseph sent food to them from his table, but he sent five times as much to Benjamin as to any of the others. And they took wine freely with him.