Genesis 43 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

The Return to Egypt

1 Now the famine ^H7458 was severe ^H3515 in the land ^H776.

2 So it came ^H1961 about ^H1961, when ^H834 they had finished ^H3615 eating ^H398 the grain ^H7668 which ^H834 they had brought ^H935 from Egypt ^H4714, that their father ^H1 said ^H559 to them, “Go ^H7725 back ^H7725, buy ^H7666 us a little ^H4592 food ^H400.” 3 Judah ^H3063 spoke ^H559 to him, however, saying ^H559, “The man ^H376 sternly ^H5749 warned ^H5749 [fn]us, ‘You shall not see ^H7200 my face ^H6440 unless ^H1115 your brother ^H251 is with you.’ 4 If ^H518 you send ^H7971 our brother ^H251 with us, we will go ^H3381 down ^H3381 and buy ^H7666 you food ^H400. 5 But if ^H518 you do not send ^H7971 him, we will not go ^H3381 down ^H3381; for the man ^H376 said ^H559 to us, ‘You will not see ^H7200 my face ^H6440 unless ^H1115 your brother ^H251 is with you.’” 6 Then Israel ^H3478 said ^H559, “Why ^H4100 did you treat ^H7489 me so badly ^H7489, [fn]by telling ^H5046 the man ^H376 whether you still ^H5750 had another brother ^H251?” 7 But they said ^H559, “The man ^H376 specifically ^H7592 asked ^H7592 about us and our relatives ^H4138, saying ^H559, ‘Is your father ^H1 still ^H5750 alive ^H2416? Have ^H3426 you another brother ^H251?’ So we [fn]answered ^H5046 his questions ^H1697. Could we possibly ^H3045 know ^H3045 that he would say ^H559, ‘Bring ^H3381 your brother ^H251 down ^H3381’?” 8 So Judah ^H3063 said ^H559 to his father ^H1 Israel ^H3478, “Send ^H7971 the boy ^H5288 with me and we will arise ^H6965 and go ^H1980, so that we may live ^H2421 and not die ^H4191, we as ^H1571 well ^H1571 as ^H1571 you and our little ^H2945 ones ^H2945. 9 I myself ^H595 will take ^H6148 responsibility ^H6148 for him! You may demand ^H1245 him back ^H1245 from [fn]me. If ^H518 I do not bring ^H935 him back to you and present ^H3322 H6640 him to you, then [fn]you can let me take ^H2398 the blame ^H2398 forever ^H3605 H3117. 10 For if ^H3884 we had not delayed ^H4102, surely ^H3588 by now ^H6258 we could have returned ^H7725 twice ^H6471.”

11 Then their father ^H1 Israel ^H3478 said ^H559 to them, “If ^H518 it must be so ^H3651, then ^H645 do ^H6213 this ^H2088: take ^H3947 some ^H4480 of the best ^H2173 products ^H2173 of the land ^H776 in your [fn]bags ^H3627, and carry ^H3381 down ^H3381 to the man ^H376 as a gift ^H4503, a little ^H4592 balsam ^H6875 and a little ^H4592 honey ^H1706, labdanum ^H5219 resin ^H5219 and [fn]myrrh ^H3910, pistachio ^H992 nuts ^H992 and almonds ^H8247. 12 And take ^H3947 double ^H4932 the money ^H3701 in your hand ^H3027, and take ^H7725 back ^H7725 in your hand ^H3027 the money ^H3701 that was returned ^H7725 in the opening ^H6310 of your sacks ^H572; perhaps ^H194 it was a mistake ^H4870. 13 Take ^H3947 your brother ^H251 also, and arise ^H6965, return ^H7725 to the man ^H376; 14 and may [fn]God ^H410 Almighty ^H7706 grant ^H5414 you compassion ^H7356 in the sight ^H6440 of the man ^H376, so that he will release ^H7971 to you your other ^H312 brother ^H251 and Benjamin ^H1144. And as for me, if ^H834 I am bereaved ^H7921 of ^H7921 my sons ^H7921, I am bereaved ^H7921!” 15 So the men ^H376 took ^H3947 this ^H2088 gift ^H4503, and they took ^H3947 double ^H4932 the money ^H3701 in their hand ^H3027, and Benjamin ^H1144; then they set ^H6965 out ^H6965 and went ^H3381 down ^H3381 to Egypt ^H4714, and stood ^H5975 before ^H6440 Joseph ^H3130.

Joseph Sees Benjamin

16 When Joseph ^H3130 saw ^H7200 Benjamin ^H1144 with them, he said ^H559 to his house ^H1004 steward ^H834 H5921, “Bring ^H935 the men ^H376 into the house ^H1004, and slaughter ^H2873 an animal ^H2874 and make ^H3559 preparations ^H3559; for the men ^H376 are to dine ^H398 with me at noon ^H6672.”

17 So the man ^H376 did ^H6213 as Joseph ^H3130 said ^H559, and [fn]brought ^H935 the men ^H376 to Joseph’s ^H3130 house ^H1004. 18 Now the men ^H376 were ^H3372 afraid ^H3372, because ^H3588 they were brought ^H935 to Joseph’s ^H3130 house ^H1004; and they said ^H559, “It is because ^H5921 H1697 of the money ^H3701 that was returned ^H7725 in our sacks ^H572 the first ^H8462 time ^H8462 that we are being brought ^H935 in ^H935, so that he may [fn]attack ^H1556 us and [fn]overpower ^H5307 us, and take ^H3947 us as slaves ^H5650 with our donkeys ^H2543.” 19 So they approached ^H5066 Joseph’s ^H3130 house ^H1004 steward ^{H376 H834 H5921}, and spoke ^H1696 to him at the entrance ^H6607 of the house ^H1004, 20 and said ^H559, “Oh ^H994, my lord ^H113, we indeed ^H3381 came ^H3381 down ^H3381 the first ^H8462 time ^H8462 to buy ^H7666 food ^H400, 21 and it happened ^H1961 when ^H3588 we came ^H935 to the campsite ^H4411, that we opened ^H6605 our sacks ^H572, and behold ^H2009, each ^H376 man’s ^H376 money ^H3701 was in the opening ^H6310 of his sack ^H572, our money ^H3701 in [fn]full ^H4948. So we have brought ^H7725 it back ^H7725 in our hand ^H3027. 22 We have also brought ^H3381 down ^H3381 other ^H312 money ^H3701 in our hand ^H3027 to buy ^H7666 food ^H400; we do not know ^H3045 who ^H4310 put ^H7760 our money ^H3701 in our sacks ^H572.” 23 But he said ^H559, “Peace ^H7965 be to you, do not be ^H3372 afraid ^H3372. Your God ^H430 and the God ^H430 of your father ^H1 has given ^H5414 you treasure ^H4301 in your sacks ^H572; your [fn]money ^H3701 was in my possession ^H935.” Then he brought ^H3318 Simeon ^H8095 out ^H3318 to them. 24 Then the man ^H376 brought ^H935 the men ^H376 into Joseph’s ^H3130 house ^H1004 and gave ^H5414 them water ^H4325, and they washed ^H7364 their feet ^H7272; and he gave ^H5414 their donkeys ^H2543 feed ^H4554. 25 So they prepared ^H3559 the gift ^H4503 [fn]for Joseph’s ^H3130 arrival ^H935 at noon ^H6672; for they had heard ^H8085 that they were to eat ^H398 [fn]a meal ^H3899 there ^H8033.

26 When Joseph ^H3130 came ^H935 home ^H1004, they brought ^H935 into the house ^H1004 to him the gift ^H4503 which ^H834 was in their hand ^H3027, and they bowed ^H2331 down ^H2331 to the ground ^H776 before him. 27 Then he asked ^H7592 them about their welfare ^H7965, and said ^H559, “Is your old ^H2205 father ^H1 well ^H7965, of whom ^H834 you spoke ^H559? Is he still ^H5750 alive ^H2416?” 28 And they said ^H559, “Your servant ^H5650 our father ^H1 is well ^H7965; he is still ^H5750 alive ^H2416.” Then they bowed ^H6915 down ^H6915 again [fn]in ^H2331 homage ^H2331. 29 And as he raised ^H5375 his eyes ^H5869 and saw ^H7200 his brother ^H251 Benjamin ^H1144, his mother’s ^H517 son ^H1121, he said ^H559, “Is this ^H2088 your youngest ^H6996 brother ^H251, of whom ^H834 you spoke ^H559 to me?” Then he said ^H559, “May God ^H430 be ^H2603 gracious ^H2603 to you, my son ^H1121.” 30 Joseph ^H3130 then hurried ^H4116 out, for [fn]he was deeply ^H7356 stirred ^H3648 over ^H413 his brother ^H251, and he looked ^H1245 for a place to weep ^H1058; so he entered ^H935 his chamber ^H2315 and wept ^H1058 there ^H8033. 31 Then he washed ^H7364 his face ^H6440 and came ^H3318 out ^H3318; and he controlled ^H662 himself and said ^H559, “[fn]Serve ^H7760 the meal ^H3899.” 32 Then they served ^H7760 him by ^H905 himself ^H905, and [fn]Joseph’s brothers by ^H905 themselves ^H905, and the Egyptians ^H4713 who ate ^H398 with him by ^H905 themselves ^H905; because ^H3588 the Egyptians ^H4713 could ^H3201 not eat ^H398 bread ^H3899 with the Hebrews ^H5680, for that is an abomination ^H8441 to the Egyptians ^H4714. 33 Now they [fn]were seated ^H3427 before ^H6440 him, from the firstborn ^H1060 according to his birthright ^H1062 to the youngest ^H6810 according to his youth ^H6812, and the men ^H376 looked ^H8539 at one ^H376 another ^H7453 in ^H8539 astonishment ^H8539. 34 Then he took ^H5375 portions ^H4864 to them from [fn]his own table ^H6440, but Benjamin’s ^H1144 portion ^H4864 was ^H7235 five ^H2568 times ^H3027 as much ^H7235 as any ^H3605 of theirs. So they drank ^H8354 freely ^H7937 with him.