Genesis:43

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* Now the famine was severe in the land . * And it came to pass , when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt , that their father said to them , "Go back , buy us a little food ." * But Judah spoke to him , saying , "The man solemnly warned us , saying , "You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you .' * If you 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 unless your brother is with you ."' * And Israel said , "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother ?" * But they said , "The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family , saying , "Is your father still alive ? Have you another brother ?' And we told him according to these words . Could we possibly have known that he would say , "Bring your brother down '?" * Then 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 myself will be surety for him ; from my hand you shall require him . If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you , then let me bear the blame forever . * For if we had not lingered , surely by now we would have returned this second time ." * And their father Israel said to them , "If it must be so , then do this : Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man--a little balm and a little honey , spices and myrrh , pistachio nuts and almonds . * Take double money in your hand , and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks ; perhaps it was an oversight . * Take your brother also , and arise , go back to the man . * And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man , that he may release your other brother and Benjamin . If I am bereaved , I am bereaved !" * So the men took that present and Benjamin , and they took double money in their hand , and arose and went down to Egypt ; and they stood before Joseph . * When Joseph saw Benjamin with them , he said to the steward of his house , "Take these men to my home , and slaughter an animal and make ready ; for these men will dine with me at noon ." * Then the man did as Joseph ordered , and the man brought the men into Joseph 's house . * Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph 's house ; and they said , "It is because of the money , which was returned in our sacks the first time , that we are brought in , so that he may make a case against us and seize us , to take us as slaves with our donkeys ." * When they drew near to the steward of Joseph 's house , they talked with him at the door of the house , * and said , "O sir , we indeed came down the first time to buy food ; * but it happened , when we came to the encampment , that we opened our sacks , and there , each man 's money was in the mouth of his sack , our money in full weight ; so we have brought it back in our hand . * And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food . We do not know who put our money in our sacks ." * But he said , "Peace be with you , do not be afraid . Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks ; I had your money ." Then he brought Simeon out to them . * So the man brought the men into Joseph 's house and gave them water , and they washed their feet ; and he gave their donkeys feed . * Then they made the present ready for Joseph 's coming at noon , for they heard that they would eat bread there . * And when Joseph came home , they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house , and bowed down before him to the earth . * Then he asked them about their well-being , and said , "Is your father well , the old man of whom you spoke ? Is he still alive ?" * And they answered , "Your servant our father is in good health ; he is still alive ." And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves . * Then he lifted 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 ." * Now his heart yearned for his brother ; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep . And he went into his chamber and wept there . * Then he washed his face and came out ; and he restrained himself , and said , "Serve the bread ." * So they set him a place by himself , and them by themselves , and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves ; because the Egyptians could not eat food 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 looked in astonishment at one another . * Then he took servings to them from before him , but Benjamin 's serving was five times as much as any of theirs . So they drank and were merry with him .

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