| Holman Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now the famine in the land was severe. | 1Now the famine was still severe in the land. |
| 2When they had used up the grain they had brought back from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us some food." | 2So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.” |
| 3But Judah said to him, "The man specifically warned us: 'You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.' | 3But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ |
| 4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. | 4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. |
| 5But if you will not send him, we will not go, for the man said to us, 'You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.'"" | 5But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ” |
| 6Why did you cause me so much trouble?" Israel asked. "Why did you tell the man that you had another brother?" | 6“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?” |
| 7They answered, "The man kept asking about us and our family: 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother? And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, 'Bring your brother here'?" | 7They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?” |
| 8Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me. We will be on our way so that we may live and not die--neither we, nor you, nor our children. | 8And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children. |
| 9I will be responsible for him. You can hold me personally accountable! If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I will be guilty before you forever. | 9I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life. |
| 10If we had not wasted time, we could have come back twice by now." | 10If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.” |
| 11Then 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 packs and take them down to the man as a gift--some balsam and some honey, aromatic gum and resin, pistachios and almonds. | 11Then 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 packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. |
| 12Take twice as much money with you. Return the money that was returned to you in the top of your bags. Perhaps it was a mistake. | 12Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. |
| 13Take your brother also, and go back at once to the man. | 13Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once. |
| 14May God Almighty cause the man to be merciful to you so that he will release your other brother and Benjamin to you. As for me, if I am deprived of my sons, then I am deprived." | 14May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” |
| 15The men took this gift, double the amount of money, and Benjamin. They made their way down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. | 15So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. |
| 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, "Take the men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they will eat with me at noon." | 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.” |
| 17The man did as Joseph had said and brought them to Joseph's house. | 17The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house. |
| 18But the men were afraid because they were taken to Joseph's house. They said, "We have been brought here because of the money that was returned in our bags the first time. They intend to overpower us, seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys." | 18But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.” |
| 19So they approached Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the doorway of the house. | 19So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. |
| 20They said, "Sir, we really did come down here the first time only to buy food. | 20“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food. |
| 21When we came to the place where we lodged for the night and opened our bags of grain, each one's money was at the top of his bag! It was the full amount of our money, and we have brought it back with us. | 21But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us. |
| 22We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We don't know who put our money in the bags." | 22We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.” |
| 23Then the steward said, "May you be well. Don't be afraid. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your bags. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them. | 23“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. |
| 24The steward brought the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and got feed for their donkeys. | 24And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys. |
| 25Since the men had heard that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph's arrival at noon. | 25Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon. |
| 26When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had carried into the house, and they bowed to the ground before him. | 26When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him. |
| 27He asked if they were well, and he said, "How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?" | 27He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?” |
| 28They answered, "Your servant our father is well. He is still alive." And they bowed down to honor him. | 28“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him. |
| 29When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son." | 29When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” |
| 30Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room to weep. | 30Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep. |
| 31Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, "Serve the meal." | 31Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.” |
| 32They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is abhorrent to them. | 32They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them. |
| 33They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. | 33They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. |
| 34Portions were served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin's portion was five times larger than any of theirs. They drank, and they got intoxicated with Joseph. | 34When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph. |
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