Parallel Bible results for "genesis 42"

Genesis 42

Common English Bible CEB

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why are you staring blankly at each other?

2 I've just heard that there's grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we can survive and not starve to death."

3 So Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.

4 However, Jacob didn't send Joseph's brother Benjamin along with his brothers because he thought something bad might happen to him.

5 Israel's sons came to buy grain with others who also came since the famine had spread to the land of Canaan.

6 As for Joseph, he was the land's governor, and he was the one selling grain to all the land's people. When Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him, their faces to the ground.

7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he acted like he didn't know them. He spoke to them with a harsh tone and said, "Where have you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."

8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.

9 Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and said to them, "You are spies. You've come to look for the country's weaknesses."

10 They said to him, "No, Master. Your servants have just come to buy food.

11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants aren't spies."

12 He said to them, "No. You've come to look for the country's weaknesses."

13 They said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, but one is gone."

14 Joseph said to them, "It's just as I've said to you. You are spies!

15 But here is how to prove yourselves: As Pharaoh lives, you won't leave here until your youngest brother arrives.

16 Send one of you to get your brother, but the rest of you will stay in prison. We will find out if your words are true. If not, as Pharaoh lives, you are certainly spies."

17 He put them all in prison for three days.

18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I'm a God-fearing man.

19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay in prison, and the rest of you, go, take grain back to those in your households who are hungry.

20 But bring your youngest brother back to me so that your words will prove true and you won't die." So they prepared to do this.

21 The brothers said to each other, "We are clearly guilty for what we did to our brother when we saw his life in danger and when he begged us for mercy, but we didn't listen. That's why we're in this danger now."

22 Reuben responded to them, "Didn't I tell you, ‘Don't do anything wrong to the boy'? But you wouldn't listen. So now this is payback for his death."

23 They didn't know that Joseph was listening to them because they were using an interpreter.

24 He stepped away from them and wept. When he returned, he spoke with them again. Then he took Simeon from them and tied him up in front of them.

25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put back each man's silver into his own sack, and to give them provisions for their trip, and it was done.

26 They loaded their grain onto their donkeys, and they set out.

27 When they stopped to spend the night, one of them opened his sack to feed his donkey, and he saw his silver at the top of his sack.

28 He said to his brothers, "My silver's been returned. It's right here in my sack." Their hearts stopped. Terrified, they said to each other, "What has God done to us?"

29 When they got back to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they described to him everything that had happened to them:

30 "The man, the country's governor, spoke to us with a harsh tone and accused us of being spies in the country.

31 We told him, ‘We're honest men, not spies.

32 We are twelve brothers, all our father's sons. One of us is gone, but the youngest is right now with our father in the land of Canaan.'

33 The man, the country's governor, told us, ‘This is how I will know you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers with me, take grain for those in your households who are hungry, and go.

34 But bring back your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will give your brother back to you, and you may travel throughout the country.'"

35 When they opened their sacks, each man found a pouch of his silver in his sack. When they and their father saw their pouches of silver, they were afraid.

36 Their father Jacob said to them, "You've taken my children from me. Joseph's gone. Simeon's gone. And you are taking Benjamin. All this can't really be happening to me!"

37 Reuben said to his father, "You may put both of my sons to death if I don't bring him back to you. Make him my responsibility, and I will make sure he returns to you."

38 But Jacob said to him, "My son won't go down with you because his brother's dead and he's been left all alone. If anything were to happen to him on the trip you are taking, you would send me—old as I am—to my grave in grief."

The Message Bible MSG

1 When Jacob learned that there was food in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you sit around here and look at one another?

2 I've heard that there is food in Egypt. Go down there and buy some so that we can survive and not starve to death."

3 Ten of Joseph's brothers went down to Egypt to get food.

4 Jacob didn't send Joseph's brother Benjamin with them; he was afraid that something bad might happen to him.

5 So Israel's sons joined everyone else that was going to Egypt to buy food, for Canaan, too, was hit hard by the famine.

6 Joseph was running the country; he was the one who gave out rations to all the people. When Joseph's brothers arrived, they treated him with honor, bowing to him.

7 Joseph recognized them immediately, but treated them as strangers and spoke roughly to them. He said, "Where do you come from?" "From Canaan," they said. "We've come to buy food."

8 Joseph knew who they were, but they didn't know who he was.

9 Joseph, remembering the dreams he had dreamed of them, said, "You're spies. You've come to look for our weak spots."

10 "No, master," they said. "We've only come to buy food.

11 We're all the sons of the same man; we're honest men; we'd never think of spying."

12 He said, "No. You're spies. You've come to look for our weak spots."

13 They said, "There were twelve of us brothers - sons of the same father in the country of Canaan. The youngest is with our father, and one is no more."

14 But Joseph said, "It's just as I said, you're spies.

15 This is how I'll test you. As Pharaoh lives, you're not going to leave this place until your younger brother comes here.

16 Send one of you to get your brother while the rest of you stay here in jail. We'll see if you're telling the truth or not. As Pharaoh lives, I say you're spies."

17 Then he threw them into jail for three days.

18 On the third day, Joseph spoke to them. "Do this and you'll live. I'm a God-fearing man.

19 If you're as honest as you say you are, one of your brothers will stay here in jail while the rest of you take the food back to your hungry families.

20 But you have to bring your youngest brother back to me, confirming the truth of your speech - and not one of you will die." They agreed.

21 Then they started talking among themselves. "Now we're paying for what we did to our brother - we saw how terrified he was when he was begging us for mercy. We wouldn't listen to him and now we're the ones in trouble."

22 Reuben broke in. "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't hurt the boy'? But no, you wouldn't listen. And now we're paying for his murder."

23 Joseph had been using an interpreter, so they didn't know that Joseph was understanding every word.

24 Joseph turned away from them and cried. When he was able to speak again, he took Simeon and had him tied up, making a prisoner of him while they all watched.

25 Then Joseph ordered that their sacks be filled with grain, that their money be put back in each sack, and that they be given rations for the road. That was all done for them.

26 They loaded their food supplies on their donkeys and set off.

27 When they stopped for the night, one of them opened his sack to get food for his donkey; there at the mouth of his bag was his money

28 He called out to his brothers, "My money has been returned; it's right here in my bag!" They were puzzled - and frightened. "What's God doing to us?"

29 When they got back to their father Jacob, back in the land of Canaan, they told him everything that had happened, saying,

30 "The man who runs the country spoke to us roughly and accused us of being spies.

31 We told him, 'We are honest men and in no way spies.

32 There were twelve of us brothers, sons of one father; one is gone and the youngest is with our father in Canaan.'

33 "But the master of the country said, 'Leave one of your brothers with me, take food for your starving families, and go.

34 Bring your youngest brother back to me, proving that you're honest men and not spies. And then I'll give your brother back to you and you'll be free to come and go in this country.'"

35 As they were emptying their food sacks, each man came on his purse of money. On seeing their money, they and their father were upset.

36 Their father said to them, "You're taking everything I've got! Joseph's gone, Simeon's gone, and now you want to take Benjamin. If you have your way, I'll be left with nothing."

37 Reuben spoke up: "I'll put my two sons in your hands as hostages. If I don't bring Benjamin back, you can kill them. Trust me with Benjamin; I'll bring him back."

38 But Jacob refused. "My son will not go down with you. His brother is dead and he is all I have left. If something bad happens to him on the road, you'll put my gray, sorrowing head in the grave."