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OET-RV by cross-referenced section GEN 42:1

GEN 42:1–42:25a ©

This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Yosef’s brothers turn up in Egypt

Gen 42:1–25a

42:1 Yosef’s brothers turn up in Egypt

42Meanwhile (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? 2Listen, 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] 3So ten of Yosef’s brothers travelled down to Egypt to buy grain, 4but 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.”

5So Yisra’el’s sons found themselves among many others who went to buy grain, because the famine was also throughout the Canaan region. 6Now 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. 7When 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.

8Yosef had recognised his brothers, but they hadn’t recognised him, 9and 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. 11We’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.”

14Yes, it’s just as I said,” retorted Yosef. “You’re spies! 15But 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. 16Select 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.” 17Then he had them locked up together for three days.

18On 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. 19If you are actually honest, leave one of your brothers in prison here, and you others go and take grain back to feed your families. 20Then when you will bring me your youngest brother so that I can verify your statements, then you won’t die.” So they agreed, 21saying 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.) 24Yosef 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. 25Then 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.


Collected OET-RV cross-references

Acts 7:12:

12But Yacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, so first, he sent off our tribal leaders.

Gen 37:5-10:

5One night Yosef had a dream, and he told his brothers about it, but that made them hate him even more. 6He told them, “Please listen about this dream that I had: 7See, we were tying up bundles of grain stalks in the middle of a field, and wow, my bundle got up and stood upright. Then would you believe it, your bundles gathered around and bowed down to my one.”

8“Will you really reign over us?” his brothers retorted. “Do you think you’ll really rule over us?” So they continued to hate him even more because of his dreams and because of what he said.

9Then Yosef had another dream, and again he told his brothers, “Listen, I had another dream, and wow, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

10When he told his father and his brothers, his father scolded him, “What’s this dream that you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come to bow down to the ground to you?”

Gen 37:21-22:

21But Reuben heard what they were saying, and he tried to rescue Yosef by insisting, “Let’s not take his life.” 22“Don’t shed blood,” he continued. “Throw him into that pit in the wilderness, but don’t wound him.” He said this because he was planning to rescue Yosef later and return him home to their father.