1   Now the famine was severe in the land. 2   So it came about when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little more food." 3   But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man strictly warned us, saying, 'You may not see my face unless your brother is with you.' 4   If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food, 5   but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You may not see my face unless your brother is with you.'" 6   Then Israel said, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?" 7   They said, "The man kept asking about ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we just answered his questions. How were we to know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'" 8   Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live and not die, both we and you, and also our little ones. 9   I will be collateral for him. You can hold me responsible for him. If I fail to bring him to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever, 10   for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now." 11   Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your bags and bring a gift for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12   Take twice as much silver in your hand, and take back the silver that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13   Take your brother also, and get up, go back to the man. 14   And may El Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am deprived of my children, then I am deprived." 15   The men took this gift, and they took twice as much silver with them, and Benjamin. Then they got up and went down to Egypt, and presented themselves before Joseph. 16   When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and prepare it; for the men will eat with me at noon." 17   The man did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18   But the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, "It is because of the silver that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are brought here; so that he may capture us, and make us slaves, and take our donkeys." 19   So they came near to the man of Joseph’s house and they spoke to him at the entrance of the house, 20   and said, "My lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food. 21   But when we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and look, every man’s silver was in the mouth of his sack, our silver in full weight. So we have brought it back in our hand. 22   We have brought down additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks." 23   He said, "Peace to you. Do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24   The man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave their donkeys food. 25   They prepared the gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon, for they heard that they would eat a meal there. 26   When Joseph came home, they prepared the gift they had brought with them into the house, and bowed themselves down to him with their face to the ground. 27   Then he asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" 28   And they answered, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." Then he said, "Blessed be that man by God." And they bowed and prostrated themselves. 29   And he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you told me about?" Then he said, "God be gracious to you, my son." 30   Then Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome with emotion because of his brother, and he was at the point of tears. So he entered into his chamber and wept there. 31   Then he washed his face and came out. And he controlled himself and said, "Serve the food." 32   They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is disgraceful to the Egyptians. 33   And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at each other with amazement. 34   Then he gave portions to them in front of him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank until they all became drunk.

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