Thomson(i)
1 Still the famine prevailed in the land.
2 So when they had eaten up the corn which they brought from Egypt their father said to them, Go again and buy for us a little food.
3 Whereupon Judas spoke to him and said, The man who is the lord of the country solemnly protested saying, You shall not see my face, unless your youngest brother be with you.
4 If therefore thou wilt send our brother with us we will go down and buy thee food.
5 But if thou wilt not send our brother with us we will not go. For the man spoke to us saying, You shall not see my face unless your youngest brother be with you.
6 And Israel said, Why did you do me this ill in telling the man that you had a brother?
7 And they said, The man examined us strictly touching our family and said, Is your father alive? And have you a brother? And we answered him according to this examination. Could we know that he would say, Bring your brother?
8 Moreover Judas said to his father Israel, Send thy son with me and we will arise and go that we may live and not die, both we and thou and all that we have.
9 I undertake the charge of him. At my hand require him. If I bring him not back to thee and set him before thee let me be a sinner against thee for ever.
10 For if we had not been delayed we might have now been back a second time.
11 Then Israel their father said to them, If it must be so, do this, Take of all the fruits of this land in your vessels and carry down for the man presents of balm and honey and incense both stacte and terebinthus and almonds.
12 Take also double money in your hands and carry back the money which was returned in your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.
13 And take your brother and arise and go down to the man.
14 And may my God grant you favour in the sight of the man that he may send back your brother with Benjamin. As for me I am bereaved of children as I have been bereaved.
15 So the men took the presents and the double money in their hands and Benjamin and arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 And when Joseph saw them and Benjamin his brother by the same mother he said to his steward, conduct these men into the house and kill victims and make ready, for these men are to dine with me at noon.
17 So the man did as Joseph ordered and conducted them to Joseph's house.
18 And when the men saw that they were conducted to Joseph's house, they said, On account of the money which was returned in our bags in the former journey we are brought in for the purpose of accusing us and charging us with it, that he may make us slaves and take our asses.
19 Therefore they went near to the man the steward of Joseph's house and spoke to him at the gate of the house saying,
20 Sir, we came down for the first time to purchase provisions,
21 But when we came to the lodging place and opened our bags every man's money was in his bag. This money we have now brought back in our hands in full weight.
22 And we have brought with us other money to buy provisions; Who put the money into our bags we do not know.
23 Upon which he said to them, Peace be to you: fear not, your God and the God of your fathers hath given you treasures in your bags. But as for your money, with perfect good will I decline receiving it. Then he brought out Symeon to them
24 and brought them water to wash their feet and gave provender to their asses.
25 And they were employed in making ready the presents until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was to dine there.
26 So when Joseph came home they brought him the presents which they had in their hands into the house and made obeisance to him with their face on the ground.
27 And he asked them of their welfare and said to them, Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still living?
28 And they said, Thy servant, our father is well. He is still alive. And he said, Blessed of God is that man. Whereupon they bowed down and made obeisance to him.
29 And when Joseph raised his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother by the same mother, he said, This is your youngest brother whom you promised to bring to me? Then he said, God be gracious to thee, my son.
30 And Joseph was discomposed, for his bowels yearned towards his brother; so he sought where to weep and went into his chamber and wept there.
31 And when he had washed his face and come out he restrained himself and said, Serve up dinner.
32 So they served up for him by himself and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who dined with him, by themselves. For the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews. For that to the Egyptians is an abomination.
33 And they sat before him, the first born according to his birth right and the youngest according to his youth. And the men were astonished, one at another.
34 And when they received their several messes from him, the mess of Benjamin was five times larger than any of theirs. And when they had drank and been plentifully regaled with him