Genesis:42

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* Now when (note :)This story shows plainly that all things are governed by God 's providence for the profit of his Church .(:note ) Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt , Jacob said unto his sons , Why do ye As men destitute of counsel . look one upon another ? * And he said , Behold , I haue heard that there is foode in Egypt , Get you downe thither , &amp ; bie vs foode thence , that we may liue and not die . * So went Iosephs ten brethren downe to bye corne of the Egyptians . * But Beniamin Iosephs brother woulde not Iaakob send with his brethren : for he saide , Least death should befall him . * And the sonnes of Israel came to bye foode among them that came : for there was famine in the land of Canaan . * Now Ioseph was gouerner of the land , who solde to all the people of the lande : then Iosephs brethren came , &amp ; bowed their face to the groud before him . * And Joseph saw his brethren , and he knew them , but (note :)This concealing is not to be followed , nor any actions of the father 's not approved by God 's word .(:note ) made himself strange unto them , and spake roughly unto them ; and he said unto them , Whence come ye ? And they said , From the land of Canaan to buy food . * (Now Ioseph knewe his brethren , but they knew not him . * And Ioseph remembred the dreames , which he dreamed of them ) and he sayde vnto them , Ye are spies , and are come to see the weaknesse of the land . * But they sayde vnto him , Nay , my lorde , but to bye vitayle thy seruants are come . * Wee are all one mans sonnes : wee meane truely , and thy seruants are no spies . * But he saide vnto them , Nay , but yee are come to see the weakenes of the land . * And they said , We thy seruants are twelue brethren , the sonnes of one man in the lande of Canaan : and beholde , the yongest is this day with our father , and one is not . * Againe Ioseph sayde vnto them , This is it that I spake vnto you , saying , Ye are spies . * Hereby ye shall be proved : (note :)The Egyptians who were idolaters , used to swear by their king 's life : but God forbids swearing by anyone but him : yet Joseph dwelling among the wicked was corrupted by them .(:note ) By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence , except your youngest brother come hither . * Send one of you which may fet your brother , &amp ; ye shall be kept in prison , that your words may be proued , whether there bee trueth in you : or els by the life of Pharaoh ye are but spies . * So he put them in warde three dayes . * And Joseph said unto them the third day , This do , and live ; [for ] I (note :)And therefore am true and just .(:note ) fear God : * If ye be true men , let one of your brethren be bounde in your prison house , and goe ye , carie foode for the famine of your houses : * But bring your yonger brother vnto me , that your wordes may be tried , and that ye dye not : and they did so . * And they said one to another , (note :)Affliction makes men acknowledge their faults , which otherwise they would conceal .(:note ) We [are ] verily guilty concerning our brother , in that we saw the anguish of his soul , when he besought us , and we would not hear ; therefore is this distress come upon us . * And Reuben answered them , saying , Spake I not unto you , saying , Do not sin against the child ; and ye would not hear ? therefore , behold , also his (note :)God will take vengeance on us , and measure us with our own measure .(:note ) blood is required . * (And they were not aware that Ioseph vnderstoode them : for he spake vnto them by an interpreter .) * And he turned himself about from them , and (note :)Though he acts harshly , yet his brotherly affection remained .(:note ) wept ; and returned to them again , and communed with them , and took from them Simeon , and bound him before their eyes . * So Ioseph commanded that they should fill their sackes with wheate , and put euery mans money againe in his sacke , and giue them vitaile for the iourney : and thus did he vnto them . * And they layed their vitaile vpon their asses , and departed thence . * And as one of them opened his sacke for to giue his asse prouender in the ynne , he espyed his money : for lo , it was in his sackes mouth . * And he said unto his brethren , My money is restored ; and , lo , [it is ] even in my sack : and their heart failed [them ], and they were (note :)Because their conscience accused them of their sin , they thought God had brought them trouble through the money .(:note ) afraid , saying one to another , What [is ] this [that ] God hath done unto us ? * And they came vnto Iaakob their father vnto the lande of Canaan , and tolde him all that had befallen them , saying , * The man , who is Lorde of the lande , spake roughly to vs , and put vs in prison as spyes of the countrey . * And we sayd vnto him , We are true men , and are no spies . * We be twelue brethren , sonnes of our father : one is not , and the yongest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan . * Then the Lord of the countrey sayde vnto vs , Hereby shal I knowe if ye be true men : Leaue one of your brethren with me , and take foode for the famine of your houses and depart , * And bring your yongest brother vnto me , that I may knowe that ye are no spies , but true men : so will I deliuer you your brother , and yee shall occupie in the land . * And as they emptied their sacks , behold , euery mans bundel of money was in his sacke : and when they and their father sawe the bundels of their money , they were afrayde . * And Jacob their father said unto them , Me have ye bereaved [of my children ]: Joseph [is ] not , and Simeon [is ] not , and ye will take Benjamin [away ]: all these things are against (note :)For they did not seem to be concerned or have any love for their brother which increased his sorrow : and partly as it appears he suspected them for Joseph .(:note ) me . * Then Reuben answered his father , saying , Slay my two sonnes , if I bring him not to thee againe : deliuer him to mine hand , and I will bring him to thee againe . * But he sayd , My sonne shall not go downe with you : for his brother is dead , and he is left alone : if death come vnto him by the way which ye goe , then ye shall bring my gray head with sorow vnto the graue .

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