| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1But the famine continued to ravage the land of Canaan. | 1Now the famine was still severe in the land. |
| 2When the grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone, Jacob said to his sons, “Go back and buy us a little more 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, “The man was serious when he warned us, ‘You won’t see my face 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 send Benjamin with us, we will go down and buy more food. | 4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. |
| 5But if you don’t let Benjamin go, we won’t go either. Remember, the man said, ‘You won’t see my face 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.’ ” |
| 6“Why were you so cruel to me?” Jacob moaned. “Why did you tell him 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?” |
| 7“The man kept asking us questions about our family,” they replied. “He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down 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’?” |
| 8Judah said to his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones. | 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 personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame 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 hadn’t wasted all this time, we could have gone and returned twice by now.” | 10If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.” |
| 11So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, “If it can’t be avoided, then at least do this. Pack your bags with the best products of this land. Take them down to the man as gifts—balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, 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. |
| 12Also take double the money that was put back in your sacks, as it was probably someone’s 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. |
| 13Then take your brother, and go back to the man. | 13Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once. |
| 14May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I must lose my children, so be it.” | 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.” |
| 15So the men packed Jacob’s gifts and double the money and headed off with Benjamin. They finally arrived in Egypt and presented themselves to 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 the manager of his household, “These men will eat with me this noon. Take them inside the palace. Then go slaughter an animal, and prepare a big feast.” | 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.” |
| 17So the man did as Joseph told him and took them into Joseph’s palace. | 17The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house. |
| 18The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph’s house. “It’s because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here,” they said. “He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.” A Feast at Joseph’s Palace | 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.” |
| 19The brothers approached the manager of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace. | 19So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. |
| 20“Sir,” they said, “we came to Egypt once before to buy food. | 20“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food. |
| 21But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man’s money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; 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 also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks.” | 22We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.” |
| 23“Relax. Don’t be afraid,” the household manager told them. “Your God, the God of your father, must have put this treasure into your sacks. I know I received your payment.” Then he released Simeon and brought him 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 manager then led the men into Joseph’s palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and provided food 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. |
| 25They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts 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 gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low 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. |
| 27After greeting them, he asked, “How is your father, the old man you spoke 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?” |
| 28“Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low again. | 28“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him. |
| 29Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “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.” |
| 30Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept. | 30Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep. |
| 31After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!” | 31Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.” |
| 32The waiters served Joseph at his own table, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with 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. |
| 33Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest. | 33They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. |
| 34And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him. | 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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