Genesis 43:16–34

¹⁶When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, “Take the men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they will eat with me at noon.” ¹⁷The man did as Joseph had said and brought them to Joseph’s house.

¹⁸But the men were afraid because they were taken to Joseph’s house. They said, “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time. They intend to overpower us, seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.” ¹⁹So they approached Joseph’s steward^B and spoke to him at the doorway of the house.

²⁰They said, “My lord, we really did come down here the first time only to buy food. ²¹When we came to the place where we lodged for the night and opened our bags of grain, each one’s silver was at the top of his bag!^f It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us. ²²We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in the bags.”

²³Then the steward said, “May you be well. Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your bags. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. ²⁴The steward brought the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet,^g and got feed for their donkeys. ²⁵Since the men had heard that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon. ²⁶When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had carried into the house, and they bowed to the ground before him.

²⁷He asked if they were well, and he said, “How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?”

²⁸They answered, “Your servant our father is well. He is still alive.” And they knelt low and paid homage to him.

²⁹When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ³⁰Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room and wept there. ³¹Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure,^h he said, “Serve the meal.”

³²They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is detestable to them.^{a 33}They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. ³⁴Portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, and Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of theirs.^b They drank and became drunk with Joseph.