King James Version, Updated™

(1) Now the famine was severe in the land.

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

(3) But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned 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 you food.

(5) But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'YOU shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'"

(6) And Israel said, "Why did YOU deal so ill with me, as to tell the man that YOU had yet another brother?"

(7) They said, "The man asked us specifically of our state, and of our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do YOU have another brother?' And we answered him according to the tenor of these words. Could we have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'

(8) Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.

(9) I will be surety for him, from my hand you shall require him. If I do not return him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

(10) For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned a second time."

(11) So their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, do this, take from the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds.

(12) Take double money in your hand, and as for the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks, carry it back in your hand, perhaps it was an oversight.

(13) Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man.

(14) And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send you away with your other brother, and Benjamin. If I must be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

(15) So the men took the present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin. Then they arose, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

(16) When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, "Bring these men home, and slaughter an animal, and make it ready, for these men shall dine with me at noon."

(17) And the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men into Joseph’s house.

(18) The men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house, and they said, "Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we were brought here, so that he may seek occasion against us, and fall on us, and take us for bondmen, and our donkeys."

(19) So they went to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke with him at the door of the house,

(20) and said, "O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

(21) And it came to pass, when we came 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 have brought it back in our hand.

(22) We have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We cannot tell who put our money in our sacks."

(23) The steward said, "Peace be to you, do not fear, your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money." He brought Simeon out to them.

(24) Then the steward brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he gave their donkeys food.

(25) They prepared the present for Joseph’s return at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.

(26) When Joseph came home, they brought to him, into the house, the present which was in their hand, and bowed themselves before him to the earth.

(27) Then Joseph asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom YOU spoke? Is he still alive?"

(28) And they answered, "Your servant, our father, is in good health, he is still alive." And they bowed down their heads, and fell down before him.

(29) Then he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, "Is this your younger brother, whom YOU spoke of to me?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."

(30) Then Joseph made haste to leave, for his heart yearned for his brother, and he sought somewhere to weep. He entered into his chamber, and wept there.

(31) Afterward he washed his face, and came out, and restrained himself, and said, "Serve the bread."

(32) They served Joseph by himself, and his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians, which ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians will not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

(33) They sat before him, from the firstborn according to his birthright, to the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked in amazement at one another.

(34) Then he took and sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.