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.
