English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”

1Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, "Why are you staring at one another?"

2And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.”

2He said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die."

3So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.

3Then ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him.

4But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "I am afraid that harm may befall him."

5Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

5So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.

6Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.

6Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

7Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

7When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, "Where have you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."

8And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

8But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him.

9And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

9Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, "You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land."

10They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food.

10Then they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

11We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”

11"We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies."

12He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.”

12Yet he said to them, "No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land!"

13And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.”

13But 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 our father today, and one is no longer alive."

14But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies.

14Joseph said to them, "It is as I said to you, you are spies;

15By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

15by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here!

16Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.”

16"Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."

17And he put them all together in custody for three days.

17So he put them all together in prison for three days.

18On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:

18Now Joseph said to them on the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God:

19if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,

19if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households,

20and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.

20and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die." And they did so.

21Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

21Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us."

22And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.”

22Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood."

23They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.

23They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them.

24Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

24He turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

25And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

25Then Joseph gave orders 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.

26Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed.

26So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.

27And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.

27As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money; and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

28Then he said to his brothers, "My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack." And their hearts sank, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

29When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying,

29When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying,

30“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land.

30"The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

31But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we have never been spies.

31"But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies.

32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’

32'We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.'

33Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way.

33"The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go.

34Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”

34'But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.'"

35As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

35Now it came about as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed.

36And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.”

36Their father Jacob said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me."

37Then Reuben said to his father, “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.”

37Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my care, and I will return him to you."

38But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

38But Jacob said, "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow."

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