¶¹And the famine was sore in the land.

²And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man³ did solemnly protest⁴ unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face⁵, except your brother be with you.

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

But if thou wilt not send him, we will not⁶ go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

And Israel said, Wherefore dealt⁷ ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

And they said, The man asked us straitly⁸ of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor⁹ of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me,¹⁰ and we will arise and go; that we¹¹ may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our¹² little ones.

I will be¹³ surety for him; of my hand¹⁴ shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

¶¹⁵For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time¹⁶.

¶ And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be¹⁷ so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down¹⁸ the man a present, a little balm¹⁹, and a little honey²⁰, spices²¹, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

And take double²² money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth²³ of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

²⁴Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

And God²⁵ Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be²⁶ bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

¶ And the men took that present, and they took double money²⁷ in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down²⁸ to Egypt, and stood before²⁹ Joseph.

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler³⁰ of his house, Bring these men home, and slay³¹, and make ready; for these men shall dine with³² me at noon.

And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.

And the men³³ were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us,³⁴ and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

And they came near to the steward³⁵ of Joseph's house, and they communed³⁶ with him at the door of the house,

¶ And said, O sir, we came indeed down³⁷ at the first time to buy food:

And it came to pass, when we came³⁸ to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have³⁹ brought it again in our hand.

And other money⁴⁰ have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

And he said, Peace⁴¹ be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money⁴². And he brought Simeon⁴³ out unto them.

⁴⁴And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

⁴⁵And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

¶ And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed⁴⁶ themselves to him to the earth.

And he asked them of their welfare⁴⁷, and said, Is your father well⁴⁸, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed⁴⁹ down their heads, and made obeisance⁵⁰.

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son⁵¹, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom⁵² ye spake unto me? And he said, God⁵³ be gracious unto thee, my son⁵⁴.

¶ And Joseph made haste; for his bowels⁵⁵ did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there⁵⁶.

And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained⁵⁷ himself, and said, Set on bread⁵⁸.

And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread⁵⁹ with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination⁶⁰ unto the Egyptians.

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth⁶¹: and the men marvelled one at another.

And he took and sent messes⁶² unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times⁶³ so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry⁶⁴ with him.