NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why are you looking at each other?"

1Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, "Why are you staring at one another?"

2He then said, "Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die."

2He said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die."

3So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

3Then ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "What if some accident happens to him?"

4But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "I am afraid that harm may befall him."

5So Israel's sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.

5So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.

6Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

6Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

7When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, "Where do you come from?" They answered, "From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food."

7When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, "Where have you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."

8Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

8But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him.

9Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!"

9Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, "You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land."

10But they exclaimed, "No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food!

10Then they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

11We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies."

11"We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies."

12"No," he insisted, "but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable."

12Yet he said to them, "No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land!"

13They replied, "Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, and one is no longer alive."

13But they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive."

14But Joseph told them, "It is just as I said to you: You are spies!

14Joseph said to them, "It is as I said to you, you are spies;

15You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

15by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here!

16One of you must go and get your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison. In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"

16"Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."

17He imprisoned them all for three days.

17So he put them all together in prison for three days.

18On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do as I say and you will live, for I fear God.

18Now Joseph said to them on the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God:

19If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison while the rest of you go and take grain back for your hungry families.

19if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households,

20But you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then your words will be verified and you will not die." They did as he said.

20and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die." And they did so.

21They said to one other, "Surely we're being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!"

21Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us."

22Reuben said to them, "Didn't I say to you, 'Don't sin against the boy,' but you wouldn't listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!"

22Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood."

23(Now they did not know that Joseph could understand them, for he was speaking through an interpreter.)

23They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them.

24He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, he had Simeon taken from them and tied up before their eyes.

24He turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

25Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man's money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. His orders were carried out.

25Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to restore every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And thus it was done for them.

26So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.

26So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.

27When one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.

27As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money; and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.

28He said to his brothers, "My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!" They were dismayed; they turned trembling one to another and said, "What in the world has God done to us?"

28Then he said to his brothers, "My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack." And their hearts sank, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

29They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying,

29When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying,

30"The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and treated us as if we were spying on the land.

30"The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country.

31But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies!

31"But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies.

32We are from a family of twelve brothers; we are the sons of one father. One is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father at this time in the land of Canaan.'

32'We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.'

33"Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for your hungry households and go.

33"The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go.

34But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.'"

34'But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.'"

35When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man's bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid.

35Now it came about as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed.

36Their father Jacob said to them, "You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me."

36Their father Jacob said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me."

37Then Reuben said to his father, "You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care and I will bring him back to you."

37Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my care, and I will return him to you."

38But Jacob replied, "My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave."

38But Jacob said, "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow."

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