Genesis 43:15-34 - The Return To Egypt

¹⁵ So the men took this gift, and they took double money in their hands, and Benjamin, and they rose up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to the one who [was] over his household, "Bring the men into the house and slaughter and prepare [an animal], for the men shall eat with me at noon." ¹⁷ And the man did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men into the house of Joseph.

¹⁸ And the men were afraid when they were brought into the house of Joseph. And they said "We were brought [here] on account of the money that was returned to our sacks the first time, that he might attack us and fall upon us to take us as slaves with our donkeys." ¹⁹ So they approached the man who [was] over Joseph's house and spoke to him at the doorway of the house.

²⁰ And they said, "Please, my lord, we surely came down once before to buy food, ²¹ but when we came to the place of lodging and we opened our sacks, then behold, each one's money [was] in the mouth of his sack--our money in its [full] weight--so we have returned [with] it in our hands. ²² Now, other money we have brought down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."

²³ And he said, "Peace to you; do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father must have given you a treasure in your sacks; your money came to me." And he brought Simeon out to them. ²⁴ Then the man brought the men into Joseph's house and he gave them water and washed their feet, and gave fodder to their donkeys. ²⁵ Then they laid out the gift until Joseph came at noon, for they had heard that they were to eat food there. ²⁶ And when Joseph came into the house they brought the gift that [was] in their hand into the house to him, and they bowed down before him to the ground.

²⁷ And {he greeted them} and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

²⁸ And they said, "Your servant our father [is] well; he is still alive." And they knelt and bowed down.

²⁹ Then he lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother, the son of his mother, and said, "Is this your youngest brother of whom you told me?" And he continued, "God be gracious to you, my son." ³⁰ Then Joseph {hurried away}, {being overcome with emotion} toward his brother, and sought for [a place] to cry. Then he went into a room and wept there. ³¹ Then he washed his face and went out, now controlling himself, and said, "Serve the food."

³² And they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, for Egyptians {could not dine} with Hebrews, because that [was] a detestable thing to Egyptians. ³³ And they were seated before him [from] the firstborn according to his birthright [to] the youngest according to his youth. And the men {looked at one another} amazed. ³⁴ And portions were served to them from {his table}, and the portion of Benjamin was five times greater than the portion of any of them. And they drank and became drunk with him.