Genesis 43: The second journey to Egypt, with Benjamin
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What happens?
When the grain runs out, Judah promises to bring Benjamin back safely, and Jacob lets him go. In Egypt the brothers are taken to Joseph's house and fear a trap, but the steward calms them and brings Simeon out. Joseph sees Benjamin, leaves the room to weep, and then eats with them, giving Benjamin five times as much as the others.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Jacob (also called Israel), Judah, the brothers, Joseph and his steward speak. God does not speak in this chapter. Jacob's words "May God Almighty give you mercy" (verse 14) and the steward's words about God (verse 23) are their own words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The famine was severe in the land.
In plain English: The famine was severe in the land.
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2When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”
In plain English: When they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little more food."
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3Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
In plain English: But Judah said to him, "The man firmly warned us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
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4If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;
In plain English: If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
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5but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
In plain English: But if you do not send him, we will not go down, because the man told us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
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6Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
In plain English: Israel said, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?"
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7They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
In plain English: They answered, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. He asked, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We just answered his questions. How could we know he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"
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8Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
In plain English: Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me, and we will get going, so that we may live and not die: we, you, and our little ones.
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9I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;
In plain English: I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him in front of you, let me carry the blame before you forever.
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10for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
In plain English: If we had not waited so long, we could have gone there and back twice by now."
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11Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
In plain English: Their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: put some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take them down to the man as a gift: a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds.
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12and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
In plain English: Take twice as much money with you, and take back the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
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13Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
In plain English: Take your brother too. Get going, and go back to the man.
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14May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
In plain English: May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I lose my children, I lose them."
The Hebrew words: "God Almighty" is El Shaddai. It is the name God uses for himself when he speaks to Abraham () and to Jacob (). Isaac blessed Jacob with it in .
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15The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
In plain English: So the men took the gift, twice as much money, and Benjamin. They set off, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
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16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”
In plain English: When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men into the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare a meal, because the men will eat with me at noon."
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17The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
In plain English: The man did as Joseph said and took the men into Joseph's house.
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18The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
In plain English: The men were afraid because they had been taken to Joseph's house. They said, "We have been brought here because of the money that was put back in our sacks the first time. He wants to find a reason to attack us, seize us as slaves, and take our donkeys."
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19They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
In plain English: So they went up to Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the door of the house.
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20and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
In plain English: They said, "Please, my lord, we really did come down the first time to buy food.
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21When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
In plain English: But when we stopped for the night and opened our sacks, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, the full amount. We have brought it back with us.
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22We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
In plain English: We have also brought more money with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."
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23He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
In plain English: He said, "Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
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24The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
In plain English: The man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys feed.
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25They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
In plain English: They got their gift ready for when Joseph came at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.
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26When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.
In plain English: When Joseph came home, they brought into the house the gift they had with them, and they bowed down to the ground before him.
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27He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
In plain English: He asked how they were, and said, "Is your father well, the old man you told me about? Is he still alive?"
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28They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
In plain English: They said, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." And they bowed down low.
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29He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
In plain English: He looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
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30Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
In plain English: Joseph hurried out, because his heart went out to his brother, and he looked for a place to weep. He went into his own room and wept there.
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31He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
In plain English: Then he washed his face and came out. Holding himself back, he said, "Serve the meal."
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32They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
In plain English: They served Joseph by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians do not eat with Hebrews: that is detestable to the Egyptians.
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33They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.
In plain English: The brothers sat in front of him by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in amazement.
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34He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
In plain English: He sent them portions from the food in front of him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank with him and were merry (or: drank with him until they were drunk).
The Hebrew word: "Were merry" is shakar: to drink one's fill, or to become drunk.
How it is translated: In 17 of its 19 verses this Bible says "drunk" or "drunken". Only here does it say "merry".
What changes: Read as "drunk", as in most verses, the brothers drank with Joseph until they were drunk. Read as "merry", they drank their fill and enjoyed the feast. The word allows both.
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