Genesis 43 - Introduction

1 Iacob is hardly perswaded to send Beniamin.

15 Ioseph entertaineth his brethren.

31 Hee maketh them a feast.

[Beniamin goeth with his brethren.]

1 And the famine was sore in the land.

2 And it came to passe when they had eaten vp the corne, which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said vnto them, Goe againe, buy vs a little foode.

3 And Iudah spake vnto him, saying, The man did [Note: Hebrew: protesting he protested.] solemnly protest vnto vs, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your [Note: Genesis 42:20.] brother be with you.

4 If thou wilt send our brother with vs, we will goe downe and buy thee food.

5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not goe downe: for the man saide vnto vs, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

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

7 And they said, The man [Note: Hebrew: asking he asked vs.] asked vs straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet aliue? haue yee another brother? and we tolde him according to the [Note: Hebrew: mouth.] tenour of these words: [Note: Hebrew: knowing could we know?] Could we certainely knowe that he would say, Bring your brother downe?

8 And Iudah said vnto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and wee will arise and go, that we may liue, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: [Note: Genesis 44:32.] if I bring him not vnto thee, and set him before thee, then let me beare the blame for euer.

10 For except we had lingred, surely now wee had returned [Note: Or, twice by this.] this second time.

11 And their father Israel said vnto them, If it must bee so now, doe this: take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carie downe the man a Present, a litle balme, and a litle honie, spices, and myrrhe, nuts, and almonds.

12 And take double money in your hand, and the money that was brought againe in the mouth of your sackes: carie it againe in your hand, peraduenture it was an ouersight.

13 Take also your brother, and arise, goe againe vnto the man.

14 And God Almightie giue you mercie before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Beniamin:

[Beniamin goeth with his brethren.]

[Note: Or, and I, as I haue bene etc.] If I be bereaued of my children, I am bereaued.

15 And the men tooke that Present, and they tooke double money in their hand, and Beniamin, and rose vp, and went downe to Egypt, and stood before Ioseph.

16 And when Ioseph sawe Beniamin with them, hee said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and [Note: Hebrew: kill a killing.] slay, and make ready: for these men shall [Note: Hebrew: eate.] dine with me at noone.

17 And the man did as Ioseph hade: and the man brought the men into Iosephs house.

18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Iosephs house, and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sackes at the first time are we brought in, that hee may [Note: Hebrew: roll himselfe vpon vs.] seeke occasion against vs, and fall vpon vs, and take vs for bondmen, and our asses.

19 And they came neere to the steward of Iosephs house, and they communed with him at the doore of the house,

20 And said, O Sir, [Note: Genesis 42:3.] [Note: Hebrew: comming downe we came downe.] we came indeed downe at the first time to buy food.

21 And it came to passe when wee came to the Inne, that wee opened our sackes, and behold, euery mans money was in the mouth of his sacke, our money in ful weight: and we haue brought it againe in our hand.

22 And other money haue wee brought downe in our handes to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sackes.

23 And he said, Peace be to you, feare not: your God, and the God of your father, hath giuen you treasure in your sackes: [Note: Hebrew: your money came to mee.] I had your money. And hee brought Simeon out vnto them.

24 And the man brought the men into Iosephs house, and [Note: Genesis 18:4; Genesis 24:32.] gaue them water, and they washed their feete, and he gaue their asses prouender.

25 And they made ready the Present against Ioseph came at noone: for they heard that they should eate bread there.

26 And when Ioseph came home, they brought him the Present which was in their hand, into the house, and bowed themselues to him to the earth.

27 And he asked them of their [Note: Hebrew: peace.] welfare, and said, [Note: Hebrew: Is there peace to your father?] Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet aliue?

[A cup put in Beniamins sacke.]

28 And they answered, Thy seruant our father is in good health, hee is yet aliue: & they bowed downe their heads, and made obeisance.

29 And he lift vp his eyes, and sawe his brother Beniamin, his mothers sonne, and said, Is this your yonger brother, of whom yee spake vnto mee? and he said, God be gracious vnto thee, my sonne.

30 And Ioseph made haste: for his bowels did yerne vpon his brother: and he sought where to weepe, and hee entred into his chamber, & wept there.

31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himselfe, and saide, Set on bread.

32 And they set on for him by himselfe, and for them by themselues, and for the Egyptians which did eate with him, by themselues: because the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrewes: for that is an abomination vnto the Egyptians.

33 And they sate before him, the first borne according to his birthright, and the yongest according to his youth: and the men marueiled one at another.

34 And hee tooke and sent measses vnto them from before him: but Beniamins measse was fiue times so much as any of theirs: and they drunke, and [Note: Hebrew: they dranke largely.] were merry with him.