1
And the famine was severe in the land.
2
And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the grain that they had brought from Mitzrayim, that their father said to them, “Return, buy for us a little food.”
3
And Yehudah spoke to him, saying, “The ish solemnly testified to us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’
4
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5
But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the ish said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
6
And Yisra’el said, “Why did you do evil to me by telling the ish that you had another brother?”
7
And they said, “The ish questioned us closely concerning ourselves and concerning our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we have known, knowing, that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8
And Yehudah said to Yisra’el his father, “Send the young man with me, and we will rise and go, so that we may live and not die, both we and you and our little ones.
9
I will be surety for him. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him to you and set him before your face, then I shall bear sin before you all the days.
10
For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.”
11
And Yisra’el their father said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take from the choice produce of the land in your vessels, and bring a gift down to the ish—a little balm, a little honey, gum and resin, pistachio nuts and almonds.
12
And take double silver in your hand, and the silver that was returned in the mouth of your sacks, return it in your hand. Perhaps it was an error.
13
And take your brother, and rise, return to the ish.
14
And may El Shaddai give you compassion before the ish, so that he may send your other brother and Binyamin with you. And as for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
15
And the men took this gift, and they took double silver in their hand, and Binyamin; and they rose and went down to Mitzrayim, and stood before Yosef.
16
And Yosef saw Binyamin with them, and said to the one over his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and prepare it, because the men shall eat with me at noon.”
17
And the ish did according to what Yosef said, and the ish brought the men into the house of Yosef.
18
And the men were afraid because they were brought into the house of Yosef, and they said, “Because of the silver that was returned in our sacks at the beginning, we are being brought in, so that he may roll himself upon us and fall upon us, and take us as servants, and our donkeys.”
19
And they drew near to the ish who was over the house of Yosef and spoke with him at the entrance of the house.
20
And they said, “Please, my adon, descending, we indeed came down at the beginning to buy food.
21
And it came to pass, when we came to the lodging place and opened our sacks, that see: each one’s silver was in the mouth of his sack, our silver in its full weight. And we have brought it back in our hand.
22
And other silver we have brought down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who placed our silver in our sacks.”
23
And he said, “Peace to you. Do not fear. Your Elohim and the Elohim of your father gave you treasure in your sacks. Your silver came to me.” And he brought Shimon out to them.
24
And the ish brought the men into the house of Yosef, and gave water, and they washed their feet; and he gave fodder to their donkeys.
25
And they prepared the gift until Yosef came at noon, because they had heard that they would eat bread there.
26
And Yosef came into the house, and they brought to him the gift that was in their hand, into the house, and bowed themselves to him toward the earth.
27
And he asked them concerning their peace and said, “Is there peace with your father, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
28
And they said, “There is peace with your servant, our father. He is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and bowed themselves.
29
And he lifted his eyes and saw Binyamin his brother, son of his mother, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “May Elohim show you favor, my son.”
30
And Yosef hurried, because his compassion grew warm toward his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered the inner chamber and wept there.
31
And he washed his face and came out, and restrained himself, and said, “Set bread.”
32
And they set for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Mitzrim who ate with him by themselves, because the Mitzrim could not eat bread with the Ivrim, for that was an abomination to the Mitzrim.
33
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in astonishment.
34
And portions were lifted to them from before him, but the portion of Binyamin was five times greater than the portion of any of them. And they drank and became merry with him.