Genesis 42:8–26

⁸And Joseph knew his brethren, but they did not know him. ⁹And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamt of them; and he said to them, Ye are spies: to see the exposed places of the land ye are come. ¹⁰And they said to him, No, my lord; but to buy food are thy servants come. ¹¹We are all one man’s sons; we are honest: thy servants are not spies. ¹²And he said to them, No; but to see the exposed places of the land are ye come. ¹³And they said, Thy servants were twelve brethren, sons of one man, in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. ¹⁴And Joseph said to them, That is it that I have spoken to you, saying, Ye are spies. ¹⁵By this ye shall be put to the proof: as Pharaoh lives, ye shall not go forth hence, unless your youngest brother come hither! ¹⁶Send one of you, that he may fetch your brother, but ye shall be imprisoned, and your words shall be put to the proof, whether the truth is in you; and if not, as Pharaoh lives, ye are spies. ¹⁷And he put them in custody three days. ¹⁸And Joseph said to them the third day, This do, that ye may live: I fear God. ¹⁹If ye are honest, let one of your brethren remain bound in the house of your prison, but go ye, carry grain for the hunger of your households; ²⁰and bring your youngest brother to me, in order that your words be verified, and that ye may not die. And they did so.

²¹Then they said one to another, We are indeed guilty concerning our brother, whose anguish of soul we saw when he besought us, and we did not hearken; therefore this distress is come upon us. ²²And Reuben answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the lad? But ye did not hearken; and now behold, his blood also is required. ²³And they did not know that Joseph understood, for the interpreter was between them. ²⁴And he turned away from them, and wept. And he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes. ²⁵And Joseph gave orders to fill their vessels with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way. And thus did they to them. ²⁶And they loaded their asses with their grain, and departed thence.