Judah Persuades Jacob
Study note
The grain from the first trip runs out, and Jacob tells his sons to go back to Egypt for more. Judah reminds his father that the Egyptian ruler strictly warned them not to come back without Benjamin. Unlike Reuben, who offered his sons' lives as a guarantee, Judah pledges himself personally. He says he will bear the blame forever if he does not bring Benjamin home safely. Jacob reluctantly agrees and tells them to bring gifts — balm, honey, spices, myrrh, nuts, and almonds — along with double the silver to return the money found in their sacks. He prays that God Almighty will show them mercy.
1 But the famine kept getting worse and worse. And the famine was sore in the land.
2 When the family had eaten through all the grain from Egypt, Jacob told his sons, "Go back and buy us some more food." And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
3 Judah reminded him. "The man in charge gave us a clear warning. He said, 'Do not come here unless your brother is with you.'" And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
4 "If you let Benjamin go with us, we'll head down and buy food." If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
5 "But if you won't send him, there's no point in going. The man was dead serious — he said we wouldn't be allowed to see him without our brother." But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
6 Israel groaned, "Why did you have to create this mess by telling the man you had another brother?" And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
7 They defended themselves: "The man drilled us with questions about our family! He asked, 'Is your father still living? Do you have another brother?' We answered honestly. How were we supposed to know he'd demand to see Benjamin?" And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
8 Judah made his case directly to his father: "Send the boy with me and we'll leave right away. Otherwise we're all going to die — us, you, and all the little ones." And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
9 "I will personally guarantee his safety. Hold me responsible. If I don't bring him back and set him down before you, I will carry that blame for the rest of my life." I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
10 "We've already wasted so much time that we could have made the trip twice by now!" For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
11 Finally their father Israel gave in. "If there is no other way, then do this: Pack some of the best things our land grows as a gift for the man -- some healing balm, honey, sweet spices, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds." And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
12 "Bring twice as much silver this time, and make sure to return the money that came to be back in your bags. It was probably just a mistake." And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
13 "Take your brother and head back to the man." Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
14 "And may God Almighty make the man show you mercy, so he releases both Simeon and Benjamin. As for me — if I must lose my children, then I must lose them." And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
The Brothers Arrive at Joseph's House
Study note
When Joseph sees Benjamin with his brothers, he tells his house manager to prepare a noon feast. The brothers are terrified when they are brought to Joseph's house, thinking it is because of the money found in their sacks. They expect to be accused of stealing and enslaved. They explain to the house manager about the money, but he reassures them, saying their God must have given them treasure in their sacks. He brings Simeon out to them. The servants give them water to wash their feet and feed their donkeys. The brothers prepare their gifts for Joseph.
15 The brothers grabbed the gifts, packed double the silver, and took Benjamin with them. They hurried to Egypt and stood before Joseph. And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph spotted Benjamin among them, he told his house manager, "Bring these men to my home. Have a meal prepared — they're going to eat lunch with me today." And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
17 The manager did as Joseph said and brought the brothers to Joseph's house. And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
18 The brothers panicked when they were led to Joseph's house. They whispered, "It's because of the money that was put back in our bags last time! He's going to attack us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys!" And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
19 So they pulled the house manager aside at the front door. And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,
20 "Excuse us, sir," they said. "We came here once before to buy food." And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21 "When we stopped for the night and opened our bags, every one of us found the full amount of silver there at the top. We brought it all back." And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
22 "And we brought extra silver to buy more food. We have no idea who put the money in our bags." And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
23 The manager told them, "Relax, everything is fine. Don't worry about it. Your God — the God of your father — must have slipped that treasure into your bags as a gift. I got your payment." Then he brought Simeon out to join them. And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
24 The manager took them into Joseph's house and gave them water to wash their feet. He also ensured their donkeys were fed. And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.
25 The brothers got their gifts ready for when Joseph arrived at noon, because they knew they would be eating there. And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
The Feast at Joseph's House
Study note
When Joseph arrives home, the brothers bow down and present their gifts. Joseph asks about their father's health and is told he is alive and well. When Joseph sees Benjamin, his own mother's son, he is overwhelmed with emotion and has to leave the room to weep in private. After washing his face, he composes himself and orders the meal to be served. The Egyptians, the brothers, and Joseph eat separately because Egyptians considered it unacceptable to eat with Hebrews. The brothers are amazed to find they are seated in order from oldest to youngest. Benjamin receives five times as much food as the others — a sign of special honor from Joseph.
26 When Joseph walked in, they laid out their gifts before him and bowed all the way to the floor. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
27 Joseph asked about their well-being and then said, "Tell me about your elderly father — the one you mentioned. Is he still alive and healthy?" And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
28 They answered, "Yes, sir — our father is alive and doing well." They bowed again out of respect. And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
29 Joseph looked up and saw Benjamin — his own little brother from the same mother. He asked, "Is this the youngest brother you told me about?" Then, looking at Benjamin, he said, "May God be good to you, son." And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
30 Joseph was so overwhelmed with love for his brother that he had to rush out of the room. He found a private spot and sobbed. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
31 After splashing water on his face, he came back out. Keeping his emotions in check, he announced, "Let's eat." And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
32 Joseph ate at his own table. The brothers ate at theirs. The Egyptians there ate separately. Egyptians thought it was wrong to eat a meal with Hebrews. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
33 The brothers had been seated in perfect birth order — from the oldest to the youngest. They kept looking at each other, completely baffled by how anyone could have known. And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.
34 Food was served to them from Joseph's own table, but Benjamin got five times as much as anyone else. They ate, drank, and had a great time together. And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.