Y el hambre iba agravándose en la tierra^a. 2 Y sucedió que cuando acabaron de comer el grano que habían traído de Egipto, su padre les dijo: Volved allá y compradnos un poco de alimento. 3 Pero Judá le respondió, diciendo: Aquel¹ hombre claramente nos advirtió²: «No veréis mi rostro si vuestro hermano no está con vosotros^a». 4 Si envías a nuestro hermano con nosotros, descenderemos y compraremos alimento; 5 pero si no lo envías, no descenderemos; porque el hombre nos dijo: «No veréis mi rostro si vuestro hermano no está con vosotros». 6 Entonces Israel respondió: ¿Por qué me habéis tratado tan mal, informando¹ al hombre que teníais un hermano más? 7 Pero ellos dijeron: El hombre nos preguntó específicamente acerca de nosotros y nuestros familiares, diciendo: «¿Vive aún vuestro padre? ¿Tenéis otro hermano?». Y nosotros contestamos sus preguntas^1a. ¿Acaso podíamos nosotros saber que él diría: «Traed² a vuestro hermano»? 8 Y Judá dijo a su padre Israel: Envía al muchacho conmigo, y nos levantaremos e iremos, para que vivamos y no perezcamos^a, tanto nosotros como tú y nuestros pequeños. 9 Yo me haré responsable¹ de él; de mi mano lo demandarás. Si yo no te lo vuelvo a traer^2a y lo pongo delante de ti, que lleve yo la culpa para siempre delante de ti³; 10 porque si no hubiéramos perdido tiempo, sin duda ya habríamos vuelto dos veces.

11 Entonces su padre Israel les dijo: Si así tiene que ser, haced esto: tomad de los mejores productos de la tierra en vuestras vasijas, y llevad a aquel¹ hombre como presente^a un poco de bálsamo y un poco de miel, resina aromática^b, mirra, nueces y almendras. 12 Y tomad doble cantidad de dinero en vuestra mano, y llevad de nuevo en vuestra mano el dinero que fue devuelto en la boca de vuestros costales^a; tal vez fue un error. 13 Tomad también a vuestro hermano, levantaos y volved a aquel¹ hombre; 14 y que el Dios Todopoderoso^1a os conceda misericordia ante aquel² hombre^b para que ponga en libertad al otro hermano vuestro^c y a Benjamín. En cuanto a mí, si he de ser privado de mis hijos^d, que así sea³. 15 Tomaron, pues, los hombres este presente^a, y tomaron doble cantidad de dinero en su mano y a Benjamín, y se levantaron y descendieron a Egipto y se presentaron delante de José.

16 Cuando José vio a Benjamín con ellos, dijo al mayordomo de su casa^a: Haz entrar a estos¹ hombres a casa, y mata un animal y prepáralo, porque estos² hombres comerán conmigo al mediodía. 17 El hombre hizo como José le dijo, y llevó¹ a los hombres a casa de José. 18 Y los hombres tenían miedo porque eran llevados a casa de José y dijeron: Por causa del dinero que fue devuelto en nuestros costales la primera vez hemos sido traídos aquí, para tener pretexto contra¹ nosotros y caer sobre nosotros y tomarnos por esclavos con nuestros asnos. 19 Entonces se acercaron al mayordomo de la casa de José, y le hablaron a la entrada de la casa, 20 y dijeron: Oh señor mío, ciertamente descendimos la primera vez para comprar alimentos; 21 y sucedió que cuando llegamos a la posada, abrimos nuestros costales, y he aquí, el dinero de cada uno estaba en la boca de su costal^a, todo nuestro dinero¹. Así que lo hemos vuelto a traer en nuestra mano^b. 22 También hemos traído otro dinero en nuestra mano para comprar alimentos; no sabemos quién puso nuestro dinero en nuestros costales. 23 Y él dijo: No os preocupéis¹, no temáis. Vuestro Dios y el Dios de vuestro padre os ha dado ese tesoro en vuestros costales^a; yo recibí vuestro dinero². Entonces les sacó a Simeón^b. 24 Después el hombre llevó a los hombres a casa de José, y les dio agua y se lavaron los pies^a; y dio forraje a sus asnos. 25 Entonces prepararon el presente^a para¹ la venida de José al mediodía; pues habían oído que iban a comer² allí.

26 Cuando José regresó a casa, le trajeron el presente que tenían en su mano a la casa y se postraron ante él en tierra^a. 27 Entonces él les preguntó cómo se encontraban, y dijo: ¿Cómo está vuestro anciano padre de quien me hablasteis? ¿Vive todavía^a? 28 Y ellos dijeron: Tu siervo nuestro padre está bien; todavía vive. Y ellos se inclinaron en reverencia^1a. 29 Al alzar él sus ojos y ver a su hermano Benjamín, hijo de su madre, dijo: ¿Eseste vuestro hermano menor de quien me hablasteis^a? Y dijo: Dios te imparta su favor^b, hijo mío. 30 Y José se apresuró a salir, pues se sintió profundamente conmovido^1a a causa de su hermano y buscó donde llorar; y entró en su aposento y lloró^b allí. 31 Después se lavó la cara y salió, y controlándose^a, dijo: Servid la comida¹. 32 Y le sirvieron a él aparte, y a ellos aparte, y a los egipcios que comían con él, también aparte; porque los egipcios no podían comer¹ con los hebreos, pues esto es abominación para los egipcios^a. 33 Y los sentaron¹ delante de él, el primogénito conforme a su primogenitura, y el más joven conforme a su juventud, y los hombres se miraban^a unos a otros con asombro. 34 Él les llevó porciones de su propia mesa¹, pero la porción de Benjamín^a era cinco veces mayor que la de cualquiera de ellos. Bebieron, pues, y se alegraron con él.

^aNow the famine was severe in the land. 2 So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” 3 Judah spoke to him, however, saying, “^aThe man solemnly warned ¹us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’” 6 Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly ¹by telling the man whether you still had another brother?” 7 But they said, “The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, ‘^aIs your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we ¹answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, ^athat we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. 9 ^aI myself will be surety for him; ¹you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then ²let me bear the blame before you forever. 10 For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your ¹bags, and carry down to the man ^aas a present, a little ^2bbalm and a little honey, ³aromatic gum and ⁴myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand ^athe money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man; 14 and may ^1aGod Almighty ^bgrant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you ^cyour other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, ^dif I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 15 So the men took ^athis present, and they took double the 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 his ^ahouse steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17 So the man did as Joseph said, and ¹brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 Now 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.” 19 So they came near to Joseph’s house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, 21 and it came about 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.” 23 He said, “¹Be at ease, do not be afraid. ^aYour God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; ²I had your money.” Then ^bhe brought Simeon out to them. 24 Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and ^agave them water, and they ^bwashed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder. 25 So they prepared ^athe present ¹for Joseph’s coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat ²a meal there.

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and ^abowed to the ground before him. 27 Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, “^aIs your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” ^aThey bowed down ¹in homage. 29 As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this ^ayour youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “^bMay God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph hurried out for ^1ahe was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and ^bwept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he ^acontrolled himself and said, “¹Serve the meal.” 32 So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is ^1aloathsome to the Egyptians. 33 Now 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. 34 He took portions to them from ¹his own table, ^abut Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

^aNow the famine was severe in the land. 2 So it came about, when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” 3 Judah spoke to him, however, saying, “^aThe man sternly warned ¹us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’” 6 Then Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, ¹by telling the man whether you still had another brother?” 7 But they said, “The man specifically asked about us and our relatives, saying, ‘^aIs your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we ¹answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 So Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will arise and go, ^aso that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. 9 ^aI myself will take responsibility for him! You may demand him back from ¹me. If I do not bring him back to you and present him to you, then ²you can let me take the blame forever. 10 For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your ¹bags, and carry down to the man ^aas a gift, a little ^bbalsam and a little honey, labdanum resin and ²myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 And take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand ^athe money that was returned in the opening of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man; 14 and may ^1aGod Almighty ^bgrant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you ^cyour other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, ^dif I am bereaved of my sons, I am bereaved!” 15 So the men took ^athis gift, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they set out and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his ^ahouse steward, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make preparations; for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17 So the man did as Joseph said, and ¹brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 Now 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, so that he may ¹attack us and ²overpower us, and take us as slaves with our donkeys.” 19 So they approached Joseph’s house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, 21 and it happened when we came to the campsite, that we opened our sacks, and behold, ^aeach man’s money was in the opening 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.” 23 But he said, “Peace be to you, do not be afraid. ^aYour God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; your ¹money was in my possession.” Then ^bhe brought Simeon out to them. 24 Then the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and ^agave them water, and they ^bwashed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. 25 So they prepared ^athe gift ¹for Joseph’s arrival at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat ²a meal there.

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the gift which was in their hand, and they ^abowed down to the ground before him. 27 Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, “^aIs your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 And they said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” Then ^athey bowed down again ¹in homage. 29 And as he raised his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this ^ayour youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” Then he said, “^bMay God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph then hurried out, for ^1ahe was deeply stirred over his brother, and he looked for a place to weep; so he entered his chamber and ^bwept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he ^acontrolled himself and said, “¹Serve the meal.” 32 Then they served him by himself, and ¹Joseph’s brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an ^aabomination to the Egyptians. 33 Now they ¹were seated before him, from ^athe firstborn according to his birthright to the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 34 Then he took portions to them from ¹his own table, ^abut Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank freely with him.