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The Genesis
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Chapter 42
1 Now, Jacob had noticed that they were still selling [grain] in Egypt. So he said to his sons: 'Why don't you do something? 2 Look; I've heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go there and buy us a little food, so we don't starve to death.' 3 Therefore, JoSeph's ten brothers went down to Egypt to purchase grain. 4 However, JoSeph's brother BenJamin wasn't sent along with his brothers, 'So he doesn't get sick,' Jacob said.
5 Of course, the Sons of IsraEl [traveled along with] many others to buy [grain], because the famine had affected the entire land of CanaAn.
6 Well, since JoSeph was the ruler of the land, he's the one who sold [food] to all the people who were coming from these lands; so JoSeph's brothers came to him and had to bow with their faces to the ground before him. 7 But when JoSeph saw his brothers (because he recognized them), he hid himself in front of them and spoke harshly to them, asking, 'Where are you coming from? And they replied, '[We came from] the land of CanaAn, to buy food.'
8 Well, although JoSeph recognized his brothers, they didn't recognize him. 9 Then JoSeph remembered his dreams and the things that he saw, and he said to them: 'You are spies! Why, you've come here to spy in our land!'
10 But they said: 'No Sir; we're just your servants who have come to buy food! 11 We're all the sons of one man and we are peace loving… your servants aren't spies!'
12 And he said to them: 'No, you've come to spy [in our] land!'
13 Then they replied: 'Your servants were once twelve brothers from the land of CanaAn. The youngest [of us] is with our father right now… but the other one is no more.'
14 Then JoSeph argued: 'It's just as I said; you're spies! 15 Here's how I will prove it: By the health of Pharaoh, you aren't going to leave until your younger brother comes here. 16 One of you can go to get your brother, but the rest of you will stay in jail until what you said can be [proven]… whether you're telling the truth or not. And if not, then by the health of Pharaoh, you really are spies!'
17 So he had them all locked up in jail for three days. 18 Then on the third day, he said, 'Do this and you will live, because I fear the gods (gr. ton Theon): 19 If you really are peace loving, I'll allow just one of your brothers to be held in jail. So now, go and carry the grain that you bought [back to your home]. 20 Then bring your younger brother to me, and I will believe what you said. But if you don't, you will all die!' And that's what they did.
21 Well, each one was saying to his brother: 'Yes, we are to blame when it comes to our brother. We didn't pay attention to the anguish that he was going through, and when he looked to us, we didn't listen to him. That's why this bad thing is happening to us!'
22 Then ReuBen said: 'Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen to me! Now look… his blood is [being avenged]!'
23 However, they didn't realize that JoSeph was standing right there in front of them, because an interpreter stood between them.
24 Well at that, JoSeph left them and started crying. Then he returned and spoke to them, and he took SimeOn and had him bound before their eyes.
25 And thereafter, JoSeph gave orders to fill their [sacks] with grain, and to return the money to each one's sack, before giving them permission to leave. And that's what happened… 26 the grain was loaded on their burros, and then they left.
27 Well, when they stopped somewhere to rest, one of them opened his sack to feed the burros, and that's when he saw his bundle of money lying in the top of his sack. 28 So he said to his brothers: 'They've returned my money. Look, its all here in my sack!' Well, they were all dumbfounded and sick at heart. And they asked each other: 'What has God done to us?'
29 And when they got back to their father Jacob (in the land of CanaAn), they told him everything that had happened to them, saying: 30 'This man who is the lord of the land spoke harshly to us and had us put in jail as spies. 31 But we told him that we are peaceful men… we aren't spies. 32 We said that we are twelve brothers, the sons of our father. One [of us] is no more, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of CanaAn. 33 However, this man who is the lord of the land said to us, Here's how I will know that you are peaceful: Leave one of your brothers here with me and take the grain you bought, then return to your family 34 and bring your younger brother to me so I will know that you aren't spies, but men of peace. Then you can have your brother back and you can trade in this land.
35 'But as we were emptying our sacks, each man found his bundle of money in his sack.' So they [showed] their father their bundles of money, and they were all frightened.
36 Then their father (Jacob) said to them: 'Now you've made me very sad, for JoSeph is no more and neither is SimeOn. So, are you going to take BenJamin away also? [Why have] all these [bad] things have come upon me?'
37 Then ReuBen said to his father: 'You can kill my two sons if I don't bring him back to you. Give him to me, and I'll bring him back!'
38 But [Jacob] said: 'I won't allow my son to go with you, because his brother is already dead, and he's the only one left. What if something happens to him on the way? This would bring such sorrow upon me in my old age that it would lead me to my grave.'
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