The Lantern

Genesis43

The Return to Egypt with Benjamin

And the famine was sore in the land.

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

And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did solemnly protest to us, saying, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food:

But if you will not send him, we will not go down: for the man said to us, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

And Israel said, Why dealt you so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you had yet a brother?

And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have you another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

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

I will be surety for him; of my hand shall you require him: if I bring him not to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever:

For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

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

And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; perhaps it was an oversight:

Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man:

And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

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.

Joseph’s Hospitality to His Brothers

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.

And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.

And the men were afraid, because they were brought into 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 slaves, and our donkeys.

And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke with him at the door of the house,

And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

And it happened, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and indeed, 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.

And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

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

And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder.

And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?

And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and bowed down.

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom you spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to you, my son.

And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his room, and wept there.

And he washed his face, and went out, and restrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

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

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marveled one at another.

And he took and sent messes to them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.