Genesis 42
1AND when Jacob found that there was a sale in Egypt he said to his sons, Why sit ye still?
2Behold I have heard that there is corn in Egypt; go down thither and buy us a little food that we may live and not die.
3So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to purchase corn from Egypt:
4but Benjamin the brother of Joseph he did not send with his brothers; for he said, Perhaps some misfortune may happen to him.
5Now when the sons of Israel went to buy in company with others who were going, for the famine was in the land of Chanaan,
6Joseph was the governor of the country; he sold to all the people of that land. So when Joseph’s brothers came they made obeisance to him with their face to the ground.
7And when Joseph saw his brothers he knew them and was reserved and spoke harshly to them and said to them, Whence come you? And they said, From the land of Chanaan to buy food.
8Now Joseph knew his brothers, but they did not know him.
9And Joseph remembered the dreams, which he had dreamed and said to them, You are spies. You are come to examine the ways into this country.
10And they said, No, my lord. We thy servants are come to buy food.
11We are all the sons of one man. We are men of peace. Thy servants are not spies.
12But he said, Nay, you are come for no other purpose, but to examine the ways into this country.
13Then they said, Thy servants were twelve brothers in the land of Chanaan. And lo! the youngest is now with our father; but the other is no more.
14Upon this Joseph said, It is as I said, you are spies.
15By this you shall be proved. By the health of Pharao you shall not depart hence unless your youngest brother come hither.
16Send one of you and bring your brother; but you must be confined, until your words be proved whether you speak true or not. If not, by the health of Pharao you are certainly spies.
17So he committed them to prison three days.
18And on the third day he said to them, Do this and live; for I fear God.
19If you are men of peace let one brother of you be kept in confinement. As for the rest, go and carry back your purchase of provisions
20and bring your younger brother to me, so shall your words be believed. Unless you do this you shall die.
21On this occasion they acted thus—they said one to another, We indeed are to blame in respect to our brother. Because we disregarded the anguish of his soul, when he intreated us and we would not hear him; for this cause therefore this affliction is come upon us.
22And Reuben in reply said to them, Did I not speak to you saying, Do the lad no injury, but you hearkened not to me. Now behold inquisition is made for his blood.
23They indeed did not know that Joseph heard; for there was one to interpret between them.
24On this Joseph withdrew from them and wept. Then he came to them again and spoke to them and he took Symeon from among them and bound him before their eyes.
25Then Joseph gave orders to fill their sacks with corn and to put everyone’s money in his bag and to furnish them with provisions for the journey. So this being done for them
26they loaded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
27And one of them, having loosed his bag to give his asses provender at a place where they lodged, saw his roll of money, for it was in the mouth of his bag,
28and said to his brothers, The money is returned to me. See, here it is in my bag. Whereupon their heart fainted and they were alarmed and said one to another, What is this which God hath done to us?
29And when they came to their father Jacob to the land of Chanaan, they told him all that had happened to them and said,
30The man the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and put us in prison as coming to spy the country;
31and we told him, We are men of peace, We are not spies.
32We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more. And the youngest is now with our father in the land of Chanaan.
33Upon which the man the lord of the country said to us, By this I shall know that you are men of peace. Leave here with me one brother; and taking the corn purchased for your family go
34and bring me your younger brother, then I shall know that you are not spies; but men of peace. And I will restore to you your brother and you may traffic in the land.
35And when they emptied their sacks every one’s roll of money was in their several sacks. And when they and their father saw their rolls of money they were terrified.
36And Jacob their father said to them, Me you have bereaved of children. Joseph is gone. Symeon is gone. And will you take away Benjamin? All these things are against me.
37Then Reuben spoke to their father saying, Slay my two sons, If I bring him not back to thee. Commit him to my charge and I will bring him back to thee.
38But he said, My son shall not go down with you. For his brother is dead and he alone is left. If any mischief should happen to him in the way you are going, you will bring down my old age with sorrow to the mansion of the dead.