43:1 The famine was still severe
in that region.
43:2 Once they ate all the grain
they brought from
their father said to them:
Go back and buy us a little food.
43:3 But Judah said to him:
The man warned us repeatedly:
You will not come before me again
again unless your brother is with you.
43:4 If you send our brother with us
we can go and buy you food.
43:5 But if you won’t send him
we will not be going
because the man told us:
You will not come before me
unless your brother is with you.
43:6 Then Israel said:
Where did I go wrong
that you would tell the man
you had another brother?
43:7 They said in reply:
The man questioned us specifically
about ourselves and our family.
He asked us:
Is your father still alive?
Do you have another brother?
How could we know he would say:
Bring your brother down here?
43:8 Then Judah said to his father
Let the boy come with me
and we will leave at once
so we will survive
and you and our children
may survive and not die.
43:9 I assure you he will be safe.
You can hold me responsible for him.
If I don’t bring him back to you
and bring him here in front of you
I will bear the blame forever.
43:10 Now if we hadn’t delayed
we could have left
and come back twice.
43:11 Their father
Just put some of the finest goods
of the land into your packs
and deliver these to the man as gifts:
A little balm and honey
some spices and myrrh
some pistachio nuts and almonds.
43:12 Take twice the amount of money
to return what was left in your packs
for it might have been a mistake.
43:13 Take your brother as well
and return back to the man immediately.
43:14 May Almighty God give you mercy
before the man
so he’ll let your other brother
and Benjamin return back with you.
If I become bereaved so be it.
43:15 So the men brought the gifts
and twice the amount of money
along with Benjamin as well.
They rose early and went to
and stood before Joseph.
43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them
he told the manager of his house:
Bring these men to my house.
Chop up some food
and prepare a meal.
They will eat with me at noon.
43:17 The man did as Joseph told him
and brought the men to Joseph's house.
43:18 Now the men were worried
as they were taken to his house.
They said to each other:
Perhaps we were brought here
because of the money put back
into out packs before.
Perhaps he wants to attack us
overcome us
take us as slaves
and steal our donkeys.
43:19 So they went to Joseph's caretaker
and spoke with him
at the doorway to the house.
43:20 They told him:
We beg your pardon sir.
We came here the first time to buy food.
43:21 Once we stopped for the night
we opened our packs
and we all found our money
in the pocket of our packs
the full amount that we brought.
So we bring that back with us.
43:22 We also brought with us
more money to purchase food.
We can’t say who put our money
back into our packs.
43:23 Then he replied:
All is well.
Do not worry.
The God of your father
has provided treasure in your packs.
I have received your money.
Then he brought Simeon out to them.
43:24 The caretaker brought the men
inside Joseph's house
giving them water
to wash their feet
and feed for their donkeys.
43:25 They prepared their gifts
for Joseph's arrival at noon
for they heard they should eat there.
43:26 When Joseph came home
they presented him the gifts
they had brought into the house
and they bowed down before him.
43:27 He asked how they were
and then he said:
How is your elderly father
about whom you talked?
Is he still alive?
43:28 They replied:
Your servant our father is healthy.
Then they lowered their heads
and bowed down before him.
43:29 Then he looked around and saw
his mother’s son and brother Benjamin
and he asked them:
Is this your youngest brother
the one you told me about?
Then he said to him:
May God bless you my son.
43:30 Then Joseph hurried outside
as he looked for a place to weep
for seeing his brother moved his heart.
He entered his chambers
and there he wept.
43:31 Then he washed his face
went out and restrained himself saying:
Let’s serve the food.
43:32 They set a place separate for him
and the brothers by themselves
and the Egyptians by themselves
as they couldn’t eat with Hebrews
because it was forbidden for Egyptians.
43:33 They were all seated before him
according to and in order of their age
from the firstborn to the youngest.
They reveled as they looked around.
43:34 He served up portions to them
from his own servings.
But Benjamin's portion was five times
the amount of anyone else's.
In this way they ate and drank
abundantly with him.
