Open English Translation GEN Chapter 42

42 Meanwhile (up in the Canaan region), Yacob heard that there was grain available in Egypt, so he said to his sons, “Why are you just standing there looking at each other? 2 Listen, I’ve heard that they’re selling grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we won’t just starve to death here.”[ref] 3 So ten of Yosef’s brothers travelled down to Egypt to buy grain, 4 but Yacob wouldn’t send Benyamin (Yosef’s youngest brother) with the others, because he said, “I don’t want any harm to come to him.”

5 So Yisra’el’s sons found themselves among many others who went to buy grain, because the famine was also throughout the Canaan region. 6 Now Yosef was the governor over all of Egypt and he was the one there who was selling grain to all the people. So Yosef’s brothers approached and bowed down to him with their noses to the ground. 7 When Yosef saw his brothers, he recognized them and acted like a stranger to them, and he spoke harshly with them (through an interpreter), “Where are you lot from?”

“From the land of Canaan to buy food,” they answered.

8 Yosef had recognised his brothers, but they hadn’t recognised him, 9 and just then he remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about them, so he said to them, “You are spies. You’ve all come to discover any weak points in this country’s defences.”[ref]

10 “No, my master,” they answered. “Your servants have only come to buy food. 11 We’re all sons of the same man. We’re being honest. Your servants are not spies.”

12 “No, you’ve definitely all come here to see where our land is vulnerable,” Yosef insisted.

13 “Your servants are twelve brothers,” they protested. “We’re all sons of one man in the Canaan region. It’s all true—the youngest is home with our father, and one has passed away.”

14 “Yes, it’s just as I said,” retorted Yosef. “You’re spies! 15 But this is how we’ll test you all: On Far’oh’s life, you won’t ever leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Select one among you to go and get your brother, and the rest of you will be imprisoned. Then we’ll find out if you’ve all been telling the truth. And if not, on Far’oh’s life, you’re certainly spies.” 17 Then he had them locked up together for three days.

18 On the third day, Yosef told them, “I’m a man who reveres God. So if you do exactly what I say, I’ll let you live. 19 If you are actually honest, leave one of your brothers in prison here, and you others go and take grain back to feed your families. 20 Then when you will bring me your youngest brother so that I can verify your statements, then you won’t die.” So they agreed, 21 saying to each other (in Hebrew), “We are truly guilty concerning our brother Yosef, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, but we didn’t take any notice. That’s why this predicament has happened to us.”

22 “Didn’t I beg you all not to sin against the lad?” Reuben spoke up. “But you wouldn’t listen, so now, see, now we’re having to account for his blood.”[ref] 23 (But they didn’t know that Yosef understood them, because he and them had been speaking through an interpreter.) 24 Yosef turned away from them briefly so they couldn’t see his tears, then he turned back toward them and spoke to them. Then he had Simeon separated from the group and tied up in front of them. 25 Then Yosef ordered his servants and they filled their bags with grain, and he quietly ordered them to return each man’s silver back to his sack and to give them provisions to them for the road.

After Yosef had provided for his brothers, 26 they loaded their grain onto their donkeys and departed. 27 At a lodging place that night, one of them opened his sack to feed his donkey and to his horror, he saw his silver inside the top of the sack. 28 “My silver’s been returned,” he told his brothers, “and it’s right here in my sack!” Then their stomachs tightened, and trembling, they asked each other, “What’s this that God’s doing to us?”

29 When they got home to Yacob their father in Canaan, they told him everything that had happened to them, 30 “This man, the master of Egypt, spoke harshly to us and treated us as if we were spying out his country, 31 but we told him, ‘We’re honest—we’re not spies. 32 We’re twelve brothers, the sons of our father. One is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today back in Canaan.’ 33 Then that man told us, ‘I’ll find out if you’re honest: Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for your families and go. 34 Then bring me your youngest brother so that I’ll know you’re not spies—that you’re telling the truth. Then I’ll release your brother and you can trade here freely.’ ”

35 Then when they started emptying their sacks, wow, each man’s pouch of silver was inside his sack. When the brothers and their father saw their pouches of silver, they were afraid. 36 “You’ve deprived me of another son,” Yacob exclaimed. Yosef is gone! Simeon’s gone! And then you want to take Benyamin as well! Why’s everything going so wrong for me?” 37 Then Reuben offered to his father, “You can kill my two sons if I don’t bring Benyamin back to you. Let me take responsibility for him, and I’ll make sure that he returns to you.” 38 “My son will not go with you,” Yacob countered, “because his brother is dead, and he alone is left. And if harm were to meet him on the road that you’re going on, then you’d bring my gray head down to the grave in grief.”