Genesis 42:1-28
Joseph’s Brothers Sent to Egypt
42Now aJacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” 2Then he said, “Behold, aI have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from there, bso that we may live and not die.” 3So ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother aBenjamin with his brothers, for he said, “bLest any harm befall him.” 5So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, afor the famine was in the land of Canaan also.
6Now aJoseph was the one in power over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bbowed down to him with their 1faces to the ground. 7And Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and aspoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
8But Joseph recognized his brothers, although athey did not recognize him. 9And Joseph aremembered the dreams which he 1had about them and said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the 2nakedness of the land.” 10Then they said to him, “No, amy lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11“We are all sons of one man; we are ahonest men; your servants are not spies.” 12And he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the 1nakedness of our land!” 13So they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with aour father today, and bone is no more.” 14And Joseph said to them, “It is as I said 1to you, you are spies; 15by this you will be tested: aby the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here! 16“Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is atruth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17Then he put them all together in aprison for three days.
18And Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for aI fear God: 19if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in 1your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, bring grain for the famine of your households, 20and abring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be proven true, and you will not die.” And they did so. 21Then they said to one another, “aSurely we are guilty concerning our brother because we saw the distress of his soul when he begged us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.” 22And Reuben answered them, saying, “aDid I not tell you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; yet you would not listen? bSo also his blood, behold, it is required of us.” 23Now they did not know that Joseph was listening, for there was an interpreter between them. 24And he turned away from them and awept. Then he returned to them and spoke to them. And he btook Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25aThen Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain and to restore every man’s money in his sack and to give them provisions for the journey. And thus it was done for them.
26So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and went from there. 27Then one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place. And he saw his amoney; and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. 28So he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” And their hearts 1sank, and they turned 2trembling to one another, saying, “aWhat is this that God has done to us?”