1
Now when Jacobsaw that there wascorn in Egypt, Jacobsaid unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
2
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there iscorn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
3
And Joseph's tenbrethren went down to buycorn in Egypt.
4
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacobsent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventuremischief befall him.
5
And the sons of Israelcame to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6
And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethrencame, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
7
And Josephsaw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spakeroughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whencecome ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buyfood.
8
And Josephknew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9
And Josephremembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
10
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buyfood are thy servantscome.
11We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
12
And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
13
And they said, Thy servants are twelvebrethren, the sons of oneman in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
14
And Josephsaid unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
15Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngestbrothercome hither.
16Sendone of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept inprison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truthin you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
17
And he put them all together into wardthreedays.
18
And Josephsaid unto them the thirdday, This do, and live; for I fearGod:
19
If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carrycorn for the famine of your houses:
20
But bring your youngestbrother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
21
And they saidone to another, We are verilyguilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distresscome upon us.
22
And Reubenanswered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
23
And they knew not that Josephunderstood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
24
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
25
Then Josephcommanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
26
And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
27
And as one of them opened his sack to give his assprovender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.
28
And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heartfailed them, and they were afraid, sayingone to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
29
And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
30
The man, who is the lord of the land, spakeroughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
31
And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
32
We be twelvebrethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
33
And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leaveone of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
34
And bring your youngestbrother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.
35
And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their fathersaw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
36
And Jacob their fathersaid unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will takeBenjamin away: all these things are against me.
37
And Reubenspake unto his father, saying, Slay my twosons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
38
And he said, My son shall not godown with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischiefbefall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.