| Holman Christian Standard Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Now the famine in the land was severe. | 1Now the famine was 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." | 2And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little 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 said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face 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 you food. |
| 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 down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, 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?" | 6Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that 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 carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” |
| 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 Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. |
| 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 be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. |
| 10If we had not wasted time, we could have come back twice by now." | 10If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.” |
| 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: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, 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 money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. |
| 13Take your brother also, and go back at once to the man. | 13Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. |
| 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, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, 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 this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went 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 them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.” |
| 17The man did as Joseph had said and brought them to Joseph's house. | 17The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men 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." | 18And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” |
| 19So they approached Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the doorway of the house. | 19So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door of the house, |
| 20They said, "Sir, we really did come down here the first time only to buy food. | 20and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down 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. | 21And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us, |
| 22We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We don't know who put our money in the bags." | 22and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money 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. | 23He replied, “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. |
| 24The steward brought the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and got feed for their donkeys. | 24And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, |
| 25Since the men had heard that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph's arrival at noon. | 25they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there. |
| 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 brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground. |
| 27He asked if they were well, and he said, "How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?" | 27And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” |
| 28They answered, "Your servant our father is well. He is still alive." And they bowed down to honor him. | 28They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. |
| 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." | 29And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? 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. | 30Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. |
| 31Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, "Serve the meal." | 31Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.” |
| 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 served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. |
| 33They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. | 33And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement. |
| 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. | 34Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him. |
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