Genesis 43:16–34

Joseph Sees Benjamin

¹⁶Then Joseph saw Benjamin with them and said to his ^ahouse steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and prepare it; for the men are to eat with me at noon.”

¹⁷So the man did as Joseph said and ¹brought the men to Joseph’s house.

¹⁸And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may ¹seek occasion against us and fall upon us and take us for slaves with our donkeys.”

¹⁹So they came near to Joseph’s house steward and spoke to him at the entrance of the house,

²⁰and they said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food,

²¹and it happened when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, ^aeach man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in ¹full. So ^bwe have brought it back in our hand.

²²“We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks.”

²³And he said, “¹Be well, do not be afraid. ^aYour God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; your money has come to me.” Then ^bhe brought Simeon out to them.

²⁴Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and ^agave them water, and they ^bwashed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder.

²⁵So they prepared ^athe present ¹for Joseph’s coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat ²a meal there.

²⁶Then Joseph came home, and they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and ^abowed to the ground before him.

²⁷And he asked them about their ¹well-being and said, “^aIs your old father ²well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”

²⁸And they said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” ^aThey bowed down and prostrated themselves.

²⁹Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son. And he said, “Is this ^ayour youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “^bMay God be gracious to you, my son.”

³⁰And Joseph hurried out for ^1ahe was deeply stirred with compassion over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and ^bwept there.

³¹Then he washed his face and came out; and he ^arestrained himself and said, “Set the ¹meal.”

³²So they set the meal for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is ^aan abomination to the Egyptians.

³³And they ¹were seated before him, ^athe firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.

³⁴And he took portions to them from ¹his own table, ^abut Benjamin’s portion was five times greater than any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.