nkjv Genesis:42-45 SEEK
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When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt ,
Jacob said to his sons , "
Why do you look at one another ?"
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And he said , "
Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt ;
go down to that place and buy for us there ,
that we may live and not die ."
*
So Joseph '
s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt .
*
But Jacob did not send Joseph '
s brother Benjamin with his brothers ,
for he said , "
Lest some calamity befall him ."
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And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed ,
for the famine was in the land of Canaan .
*
Now Joseph was governor over the land ;
and it was he who sold to all the people of the land .
And Joseph '
s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth .
*
Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them ,
but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them .
Then he said to them , "
Where do you come from ?"
And they said , "
From the land of Canaan to buy food ."
*
So Joseph recognized his brothers ,
but they did not recognize him .
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Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them ,
and said to them , "
You are spies !
You have come to see the nakedness of the land !"
*
And they said to him , "
No ,
my lord ,
but your servants have come to buy food .
*
We are all one man '
s sons ;
we are honest men ;
your servants are not spies ."
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But he said to them , "
No ,
but you have come to see the nakedness of the land ."
*
And they said , "
Your servants are twelve brothers ,
the sons of one man in the land of Canaan ;
and in fact ,
the youngest is with our father today ,
and one is no more ."
*
But Joseph said to them , "
It is as I spoke to you ,
saying , "
You are spies !'
*
In this manner you shall be tested :
By the life of Pharaoh ,
you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here .
*
Send one of you ,
and let him bring your brother ;
and you shall be kept in prison ,
that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you ;
or else ,
by the life of Pharaoh ,
surely you are spies !"
*
So he put them all together in prison three days .
*
Then Joseph said to them the third day , "
Do this and live ,
for I fear God :
*
If you are honest men ,
let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house ;
but you ,
go and carry grain for the famine of your houses .
*
And bring your youngest brother to me ;
so your words will be verified ,
and you shall not die ."
And they did so .
*
Then they said to one another , "
We are truly guilty concerning our brother ,
for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us ,
and we would not hear ;
therefore this distress has come upon us ."
*
And Reuben answered them ,
saying , "
Did I not speak to you ,
saying , "
Do not sin against the boy ';
and you would not listen ?
Therefore behold ,
his blood is now required of us ."
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But they did not know that Joseph understood them ,
for he spoke to them through an interpreter .
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And he turned himself away from them and wept .
Then he returned to them again ,
and talked with them .
And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes .
*
Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain ,
to restore every man '
s money to his sack ,
and to give them provisions for the journey .
Thus he did for them .
*
So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there .
*
But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment ,
he saw his money ;
and there it was ,
in the mouth of his sack .
*
So he said to his brothers , "
My money has been restored ,
and there it is ,
in my sack !"
Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid ,
saying to one another , "
What is this that God has done to us ?"
*
Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them ,
saying :
* "
The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us ,
and took us for spies of the country .
*
But we said to him , "
We are honest men ;
we are not spies .
*
We are twelve brothers ,
sons of our father ;
one is no more ,
and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan .'
*
Then the man ,
the lord of the country ,
said to us , "
By this I will know that you are honest men :
Leave one of your brothers here with me ,
take food for the famine of your households ,
and be gone .
*
And bring your youngest brother to me ;
so I shall know that you are not spies ,
but that you are honest men .
I will grant your brother to you ,
and you may trade in the land ."'
*
Then it happened as they emptied their sacks ,
that surprisingly each man '
s bundle of money was in his sack ;
and when they and their father saw the bundles of money ,
they were afraid .
*
And Jacob their father said to them , "
You have bereaved me :
Joseph is no more ,
Simeon is no more ,
and you want to take Benjamin .
All these things are against me ."
*
Then Reuben spoke to his father ,
saying , "
Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you ;
put him in my hands ,
and I will bring him back to you ."
*
But he said , "
My son shall not go down with you ,
for his brother is dead ,
and he is left alone .
If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go ,
then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave ."
*
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 ."
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But Judah spoke to him ,
saying , "
The man solemnly warned us ,
saying , "
You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you .'
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If you send our brother with us ,
we will go down and buy you food .
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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 ."'
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And Israel said , "
Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother ?"
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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 '?"
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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 .
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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 .
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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 .
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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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And he commanded the steward of his house ,
saying , "
Fill the men '
s sacks with food ,
as much as they can carry ,
and put each man '
s money in the mouth of his sack .
*
Also put my cup ,
the silver cup ,
in the mouth of the sack of the youngest ,
and his grain money ."
So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken .
*
As soon as the morning dawned ,
the men were sent away ,
they and their donkeys .
*
When they had gone out of the city ,
and were not yet far off ,
Joseph said to his steward , "
Get up ,
follow the men ;
and when you overtake them ,
say to them , "
Why have you repaid evil for good ?
*
Is not this the one from which my lord drinks ,
and with which he indeed practices divination ?
You have done evil in so doing ."'
*
So he overtook them ,
and he spoke to them these same words .
*
And they said to him , "
Why does my lord say these words ?
Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing .
*
Look ,
we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks .
How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord '
s house ?
*
With whomever of your servants it is found ,
let him die ,
and we also will be my lord '
s slaves ."
*
And he said , "
Now also let it be according to your words ;
he with whom it is found shall be my slave ,
and you shall be blameless ."
*
Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground ,
and each opened his sack .
*
So he searched .
He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest ;
and the cup was found in Benjamin '
s sack .
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Then they tore their clothes ,
and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city .
*
So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph '
s house ,
and he was still there ;
and they fell before him on the ground .
*
And Joseph said to them , "
What deed is this you have done ?
Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination ?"
*
Then Judah said , "
What shall we say to my lord ?
What shall we speak ?
Or how shall we clear ourselves ?
God has found out the iniquity of your servants ;
here we are ,
my lord '
s slaves ,
both we and he also with whom the cup was found ."
*
But he said , "
Far be it from me that I should do so ;
the man in whose hand the cup was found ,
he shall be my slave .
And as for you ,
go up in peace to your father ."
*
Then Judah came near to him and said : "
O my lord ,
please let your servant speak a word in my lord '
s hearing ,
and do not let your anger burn against your servant ;
for you are even like Pharaoh .
*
My lord asked his servants ,
saying , "
Have you a father or a brother ?'
*
And we said to my lord , "
We have a father ,
an old man ,
and a child of his old age ,
who is young ;
his brother is dead ,
and he alone is left of his mother '
s children ,
and his father loves him .'
*
Then you said to your servants , "
Bring him down to me ,
that I may set my eyes on him .'
*
And we said to my lord , "
The lad cannot leave his father ,
for if he should leave his father ,
his father would die .'
*
But you said to your servants , "
Unless your youngest brother comes down with you ,
you shall see my face no more .'
* "
So it was ,
when we went up to your servant my father ,
that we told him the words of my lord .
*
And our father said , "
Go back and buy us a little food .'
*
But we said , "
We cannot go down ;
if our youngest brother is with us ,
then we will go down ;
for we may not see the man '
s face unless our youngest brother is with us .'
*
Then your servant my father said to us , "
You know that my wife bore me two sons ;
*
and the one went out from me ,
and I said , "
Surely he is torn to pieces ";
and I have not seen him since .
*
But if you take this one also from me ,
and calamity befalls him ,
you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave .'
* "
Now therefore ,
when I come to your servant my father ,
and the lad is not with us ,
since his life is bound up in the lad '
s life ,
*
it will happen ,
when he sees that the lad is not with us ,
that he will die .
So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave .
*
For your servant became surety for the lad to my father ,
saying , "
If I do not bring him back to you ,
then I shall bear the blame before my father forever .'
*
Now therefore ,
please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord ,
and let the lad go up with his brothers .
*
For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me ,
lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father ?"
*
Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him ,
and he cried out , "
Make everyone go out from me !"
So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers .
*
And he wept aloud ,
and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it .
*
Then Joseph said to his brothers , "
I am Joseph ;
does my father still live ?"
But his brothers could not answer him ,
for they were dismayed in his presence .
*
And Joseph said to his brothers , "
Please come near to me ."
So they came near .
Then he said : "
I am Joseph your brother ,
whom you sold into Egypt .
*
But now ,
do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here ;
for God sent me before you to preserve life .
*
For these two years the famine has been in the land ,
and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting .
*
And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth ,
and to save your lives by a great deliverance .
*
So now it was not you who sent me here ,
but God ;
and He has made me a father to Pharaoh ,
and lord of all his house ,
and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt .
* "
Hurry and go up to my father ,
and say to him , "
Thus says your son Joseph : "
God has made me lord of all Egypt ;
come down to me ,
do not tarry .
*
You shall dwell in the land of Goshen ,
and you shall be near to me ,
you and your children ,
your children '
s children ,
your flocks and your herds ,
and all that you have .
*
There I will provide for you ,
lest you and your household ,
and all that you have ,
come to poverty ;
for there are still five years of famine ."'
* "
And behold ,
your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you .
*
So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt ,
and of all that you have seen ;
and you shall hurry and bring my father down here ."
*
Then he fell on his brother Benjamin '
s neck and wept ,
and Benjamin wept on his neck .
*
Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them ,
and after that his brothers talked with him .
*
Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh '
s house ,
saying , "
Joseph '
s brothers have come ."
So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well .
*
And Pharaoh said to Joseph , "
Say to your brothers , "
Do this :
Load your animals and depart ;
go to the land of Canaan .
*
Bring your father and your households and come to me ;
I will give you the best of the land of Egypt ,
and you will eat the fat of the land .
*
Now you are commanded--do this :
Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives ;
bring your father and come .
*
Also do not be concerned about your goods ,
for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours ."'
*
Then the sons of Israel did so ;
and Joseph gave them carts ,
according to the command of Pharaoh ,
and he gave them provisions for the journey .
*
He gave to all of them ,
to each man ,
changes of garments ;
but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments .
*
And he sent to his father these things :
ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt ,
and ten female donkeys loaded with grain ,
bread ,
and food for his father for the journey .
*
So he sent his brothers away ,
and they departed ;
and he said to them , "
See that you do not become troubled along the way ."
*
Then they went up out of Egypt ,
and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father .
*
And they told him ,
saying , "
Joseph is still alive ,
and he is governor over all the land of Egypt ."
And Jacob '
s heart stood still ,
because he did not believe them .
*
But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them ,
and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him ,
the spirit of Jacob their father revived .
*
Then Israel said , "
It is enough .
Joseph my son is still alive .
I will go and see him before I die ."
*
So Israel took his journey with all that he had ,
and came to Beersheba ,
and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac .