43:1 And the famine was sore in the land.

43:2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

43:3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

43:4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

43:5 but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down; for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

43:6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

43:7 And they said, The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we in any wise know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

43:8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

43:9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

43:10 for except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time.

43:11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;

43:12 and take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

43:13 take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

43:14 and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

43:15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

43:16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house, and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon.

43:17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men to Joseph`s house.

43:18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph`s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

43:19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph`s house, and they spake unto him at the door of the house,

43:20 and said, Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

43:21 and it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man`s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

43:22 And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food: we know not who put our money in our sacks.

43:23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

43:24 And the man brought the men into Joseph`s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. And he gave their asses provender.

43:25 And they made ready the present against Joseph`s coming at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

43:26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down themselves to him to the earth.

43:27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

43:28 And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

43:29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother`s son, and said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

43:30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

43:31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

43:32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

43:33 And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one with another.