Genesis 42:9–20

⁹Joseph remembered his dreams about them ^cand said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the weakness ^dof the land.”

¹⁰“No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said. ¹¹“We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies.”

¹²“No,” he said to them. “You have come to see the weakness of the land.”

¹³But they replied, “We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now ^ewith our father, and one is no longer living.”

¹⁴Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken: ^f‘You are spies!’ ¹⁵This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. ¹⁶Send one from among you to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” ¹⁷So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days.

¹⁸On the third day Joseph said to them, “I fear God ^g—do this and you will live. ¹⁹If you are honest, let one of you ^hbe confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain to relieve the hunger of your households. ²⁰Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won’t die.” And they consented to this.