Thematic Bible
Genesis 43:1 (show verse)
The famine was extremely bad in the land.
Genesis 43:2 (show verse)
When they finished eating the grain they brought from Egypt, Israel said to his sons: Go back and buy us a little more food.
Genesis 43:3 (show verse)
Judah said to him: The man gave us strict warning! He said: 'You will not be allowed to see me again unless your brother is with you.'
Genesis 43:4 (show verse)
If you let our brother go with us, we will go and buy food for you.
Genesis 43:5 (show verse)
If you will not let him go, we will not go. The man said to us: 'You will not be allowed to see me again unless your brother is with you.'
Genesis 43:6 (show verse)
Israel asked: Why have you made trouble for me by telling the man you had another brother?
Genesis 43:7 (show verse)
They answered: The man kept asking about our family and us. He asked, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How could we possibly know he would say, 'Bring your brother here'?
Genesis 43:8 (show verse)
Then Judah said to his father Israel: Send the boy along with me. Let us get going so that we will not starve to death.
Genesis 43:9 (show verse)
I guarantee that he will come back. You can hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here in front of you, you can blame me the rest of my life.
Genesis 43:10 (show verse)
If we had not waited so long, we could have made this trip twice by now.
Genesis 43:11 (show verse)
Their father Israel said: If that is the way it has to be, then take the man a gift. Put some of the best products of the land in your bags. Take a little balm, a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
Genesis 43:12 (show verse)
Take twice as much money with you, because you must take back the money that was returned in the top of your sacks. Maybe it was a mistake.
Genesis 43:13 (show verse)
Take your brother and return at once.
Genesis 43:14 (show verse)
May God Almighty cause the man to have pity on you, so that he will give Benjamin and your other brother back to you. As for me, if I must lose my children, I must lose them.
Genesis 43:15 (show verse)
So the brothers took the gifts and twice as much money, and set out for Egypt with Benjamin. There they presented themselves to Joseph.
Genesis 43:16 (show verse)
He saw Benjamin and told the servant in charge of his house: Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and cook it, so they can eat with me at noon.
Genesis 43:17 (show verse)
The servant did as he was told. He took the brothers to Joseph's house.
Genesis 43:18 (show verse)
On the way they were worried and started talking: We are being taken there because of the money that was put back in our sacks last time. He will arrest us and take our donkeys. He will make us his slaves!
Genesis 43:19 (show verse)
When they arrived at Joseph's house, they said to the servant in charge:
Genesis 43:20 (show verse)
We came to Egypt once before to buy grain.
Genesis 43:21 (show verse)
When we stopped for the night, we each found in our grain sacks the exact amount we had paid. We have brought that money back.
Genesis 43:22 (show verse)
We brought enough money to buy more grain. We do not know who put the money in our sacks.
Genesis 43:23 (show verse)
It is all right, the servant replied. Do not worry. The God you and your father worship must have put the money there, because your money came first to me. Then he brought Simeon out to them.
Genesis 43:24 (show verse)
The servant took them into Joseph's house. He gave them water to wash their feet. He also tended their donkeys.
Genesis 43:25 (show verse)
The brothers prepared their gifts so they could give them to Joseph at noon. For they had heard they were going to eat there.
Genesis 43:26 (show verse)
Joseph came home and they gave him the gifts they had brought. They bowed down to him.
Genesis 43:27 (show verse)
Joseph asked how they were. He said: What about your elderly father? Is he still alive?
Genesis 43:28 (show verse)
They answered: Your servant our father is still alive and well. Again they bowed down to Joseph.
Genesis 43:29 (show verse)
Joseph looked around and saw his brother Benjamin. He said: This must be the youngest brother you told me about. God bless you, my son.
Genesis 43:30 (show verse)
Right away he rushed off to his room and cried because of his love for Benjamin.
Genesis 43:31 (show verse)
After washing his face and returning, he was able to control himself. He said: Serve the meal!
Genesis 43:32 (show verse)
Joseph was served at a table by himself. His brothers were served at another. The Egyptians sat at yet another table. This is because Egyptians felt it was disgusting to eat with Hebrews.
Genesis 43:33 (show verse)
To the surprise of Joseph's brothers, they were seated in front of him according to their ages, from the oldest to the youngest.
Genesis 43:34 (show verse)
They were served food from Joseph's table. And Benjamin was given five times as much as each of the others. So Joseph's brothers drank with him and had a good time.