1 ¶ Now the famine was severe in the land.

2 And it came to pass, after they had eaten up the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3 But Judah said to him, The man solemnly warned us, saying, You will not see my face again, unless your brother is with you.

4 If you will send our brother with us, we will 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 shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.

6 And Israel said, Why did you treat me so ill, as to tell the man that you had another brother?

7 And they said, The man asked us specifically about ourselves, and about our family, asking, Is your father still alive? do you have another brother? and we answered him according to the questions: how could we know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

8 And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.

9 I will be responsible for him; you can hold me personally accountable: if I do not bring him back to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever:

10 For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have returned the second time.

11 ¶ And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down a present to the man, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

12 And take double money with you; take back with you the money that was placed back in the mouth of your sacks, take it back with you; perhaps it was an oversight:

13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man:

14 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

15 ¶ Then the men took the present, and they took double the 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 these men into the house, and slaughter an animal, and prepare it; for these men will dine with me at noon.

17 And the man did as Joseph ordered; 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, We are being brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time; so that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, to make us slaves, and take our donkeys.

19 So they approached the steward of Joseph’s house, and spoke with him at the door of the house,

20 And said, O sir, we really did come down here the first time to buy food:

21 And when we came to the place where we lodged for the night, and opened our sacks, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: so we have brought it again in our hand.

22 And we have brought additional money down with us to buy food: we do not know who put the money in our sacks.

23 But the steward said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks: I received your money. And he brought Simeon out to 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 donkeys fodder.

25 And they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon: for they had heard that they were to dine there.

26 ¶ And when Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them, and bowed themselves to him to the ground.

27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?

28 And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

29 And he looked up, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom you spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to you, my son.

30 And Joseph hurried from the room; for his heart yearned for his brother: and he sought a place to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.

31 Then he washed his face, and came out, and controlling himself, said, Let food be served.

32 And they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that were eating with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians must not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is offensive to the Egyptians.

33 And Joseph’s brothers were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men looked at one another in amazement.

34 And Joseph sent courses to them from his own table: but Benjamin’s portion was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.