43 13 Jacob suffereth Benjamin to depart with his children. 14 Simeon is delivered out of prison. 30 Joseph goeth aside and weepeth.
1 Now great [a]famine was in the land.
2 And when they had eaten up the vittles, which they had brought from Egypt, their father said unto them, Turn again and buy us a little food.
3 And Judah answered him, saying, The man charged us by an oath, saying, (A)Never see my face, except your brother be with you.
4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy thee food.
5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, (B)Look me not in the face, except your brother be with you.
6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so evil with me, as to tell the man, whether ye had yet a brother or no?
7 And they answered, The man asked straightly of [b]ourselves and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye any brother? And we told him according to [c]these words: could we know certainly that he would say, Bring your brother down?
8 Then said Judah to Israel his father, Send the boy with me, that we may rise and go, and that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and our children.
9 I will be surety for him: of mine hand shalt thou require him. (C)If I bring him not to thee, and set him before thee, [d]then let me bear the blame forever.
10 For except we had made this tarrying, doubtless by this we had returned the second time.
11 Then their father Israel said unto them, If it must needs be so now, do thus: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and bring the man a present, a little rosin, and a little honey, [e]spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
12 And take [f]double money in your hand, and the money, that was brought again in your sacks’ mouths carry it again in your hand, lest it were some oversight.
13 Take also your brother and arise, and go again to the man.
14 And [g]God Almighty give you mercy in the sight of the man, that he may deliver you your other brother, and Benjamin: but I shall be [h]robbed of my child, as I have been.
15 Thus the men took this present, and took twice so much money in their hand with Benjamin, and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said [i]to his steward, Bring these men home and kill meat, and make ready: for the men shall eat with me at noon.
17 And the men did as Joseph bade, and brought the men unto Joseph’s house.
18 Now when the men were brought into Joseph’s house, they were [j]afraid, and said, Because of the money, that came in our sack’s mouths at the first time, are we brought, that he may [k]pick a quarrel against us, and [l]lay something to our charge, and bring us in bondage and our asses.
19 Therefore came they to Joseph’s steward, and communed with him at the door of his house,
20 And said, O sir, (D)we came indeed down hither at the first time to buy food,
21 And as we came to an Inn and opened our sacks, behold, every man’s money was in his sack’s mouth, even our money in full weight, but we have brought it in our hands.
22 Also other money have we brought in our hands to buy food, but we cannot tell, who put our money in our sacks.
23 And he said, [m]Peace be to you, fear not: [n]your God, and the God of your father hath given you that treasure in your sacks, I had your money: and he brought forth Simeon to them.
24 So the man led them into Joseph’s house, and gave them water to wash their feet, and gave their asses provender.
25 And they made ready their present against Joseph came at noon, (for they heard say, that they should eat bread there.)
26 When Joseph came home, they brought the present into the house to him, which was in their hands, and bowed down to the ground before him.
27 And he asked them of their [o]prosperity, and said, Is your father the old man, of whom ye told me, in good health? is he yet alive?
28 Who answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive: and they bowed down, and made obeisance.
29 And he lifting up his eyes, beheld his brother Benjamin, his [p]mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother of whom ye told me? And he said, God be merciful unto thee, my son.
30 And Joseph made haste (for his [q]affection was inflamed toward his brother, and sought where to weep) and entered into his chamber and wept there.
31 Afterward he washed his face, and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on [r]meat.
32 And they [s]prepared for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews: for that was an [t]abomination unto the Egyptians.
33 So they sat before him: the eldest according unto his age, and the youngest according unto his youth: and the men marveled among themselves.
34 And they took meats from before him, and sent to them: but Benjamin’s meat was five times so much as any of theirs: and they drank, [u]and had of the best drink with him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 43:1 This was a great tentation to Jacob to suffer so great famine in that land where God had promised to bless him.
- Genesis 43:7 Or, of our estate and condition.
- Genesis 43:7 Hebrew, to the mouth of these words: that is, that thing which he asked us.
- Genesis 43:9 Hebrew, I will sin to thee.
- Genesis 43:11 Or, sweet smells.
- Genesis 43:12 When we are in necessity or danger, God forbiddeth not to use all honest means to better our estate and condition.
- Genesis 43:14 Our chief trust ought to be in God, and not in worldly means.
- Genesis 43:14 He speaketh these words not so much of despair, as to make his sons more careful to bring again their brother.
- Genesis 43:16 Or, to the ruler of his house.
- Genesis 43:18 So the judgment of God pressed their conscience.
- Genesis 43:18 Hebrew, roll himself upon us.
- Genesis 43:18 Hebrew, cast himself upon us.
- Genesis 43:23 Or, you are well.
- Genesis 43:23 Notwithstanding the corruptions of Egypt, yet Joseph taught his family to fear God.
- Genesis 43:27 Hebrew, peace.
- Genesis 43:29 For they two only were born of Rachel.
- Genesis 43:30 Hebrew, bowels.
- Genesis 43:31 Hebrew, bread.
- Genesis 43:32 To signify his dignity.
- Genesis 43:32 The nature of the superstitious is to condemn all others in respect of themselves.
- Genesis 43:34 Sometimes this word signifieth to be drunken, but here it is meant, that they had enough, and drank of the best wine.