Parallel Bible results for "genesis 43"

Genesis 43

Common English Bible CEB

1 The famine was severe in the land,

2 and when they had eaten all the grain that they brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little food."

3 Judah said to him, "The man was absolutely serious when he said, ‘You may not see me again without your brother with you.'

4 If you agree to send our brother with us, then we will go down and buy you food.

5 But if you don't agree to send him, then we can't go down because the man said to us, ‘You may not see me again without your brother with you.'"

6 Israel said, "Why have you caused me such pain by telling the man you had another brother?"

7 They said, "The man asked us pointedly about our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have a brother?' So we told him just what we've said. How were we to know he'd say, ‘Bring your brother down here'?"

8 Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the young man with me. Let's get ready to leave so that we can stay alive and not die—we, you, and our children.

9 I will guarantee his safety; you can hold me responsible. If I don't bring him back to you and place him here in front of you, it will be my fault forever.

10 If we hadn't waited so long, we would've returned twice by now."

11 Their father Israel said to them, "If it has to be, then do this. Take in your bags some of the land's choice produce, and bring it down to the man as a gift: a little medicinal resin, a little honey, gum, resin, pistachios, and almonds.

12 Take twice as much silver with you, and take back the silver returned in the top of your sacks. It might have been a mistake.

13 And take your brother, get ready, and go back to the man.

14 May God Almighty make the man compassionate toward you so that he may send back our other brother and Benjamin with you. But me, if I'm left childless, then I'm left childless."

15 So the men took this gift. They took twice as much silver with them, together with Benjamin. They left, traveled down to Egypt, and received an audience with Joseph.

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the manager of his household, "Bring the men to the house and slaughter an animal and prepare it because the men will have dinner with me at noon."

17 The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph's house.

18 When they were brought to Joseph's house, the men were frightened and said, "We've been brought here because of the silver put back in our sacks on our first trip so he can overpower us, capture us, make slaves of us, and take our donkeys."

19 They approached the man who was Joseph's household manager and spoke to him at the house's entrance:

20 "Please, Master, we came down the first time just to buy food,

21 but when we stopped to spend the night and opened our sacks, there was the exact amount of each man's silver at the top of his sack. We've brought it back with us,

22 and we've brought down with us additional silver to buy food. We don't know who put our silver in our sacks."

23 He said, "You are fine. Don't be afraid. Your God and your father's God must have hidden a treasure in your sacks. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24 The manager brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water to wash their feet and feed for their donkeys.

25 They prepared the gift, anticipating Joseph's arrival at noon, since they had heard that they would have a meal there.

26 When Joseph came into the house, they presented him the gift they had brought with them into the house, and they bowed low in front of him.

27 He asked them how they were and said, "How is your elderly father, about whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

28 They said, "Your servant our father is fine. He's still alive." And they bowed down again with deep respect.

29 Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, and he said, "Is this your youngest brother whom you told me about? God be gracious to you, my son."

30 Joseph's feelings for his brother were so strong he was about to weep, so he rushed to another room and wept there.

31 He washed his face, came back, pulled himself together, and said, "Set out the dinner."

32 So they set out his food by himself, their food by themselves, and the Egyptians' who ate with him by themselves because Egyptians don't allow themselves to eat with Hebrews; the Egyptians think it beneath their dignity.

33 They were seated in front of him from the oldest to the youngest in their exact birth order, and the men looked at each other with amazement.

34 Portions of food from Joseph's table were brought to them, but Benjamin's portion was five times as large as theirs. So they drank together and were at ease.

The Message Bible MSG

1 The famine got worse.

2 When they had eaten all the food they had brought back from Egypt, their father said, "Go back and get some more food."

3 But Judah said, "The man warned us most emphatically, 'You won't so much as see my face if you don't have your brother with you.'

4 If you're ready to release our brother to go with us, we'll go down and get you food.

5 But if you're not ready, we aren't going. What would be the use? The man told us, 'You won't so much as see my face if you don't have your brother with you.'"

6 Israel said, "Why are you making my life so difficult! Why did you ever tell the man you had another brother?"

7 They said, "The man pressed us hard, asking pointed questions about our family: 'Is your father alive? Do you have another brother?' So we answered his questions. How did we know that he'd say, 'Bring your brother here'?"

8 Judah pushed his father Israel. "Let the boy go; I'll take charge of him. Let us go and be on our way - if we don't get going, we're all going to starve to death - we and you and our children too!

9 I'll take full responsibility for his safety; it's my life on the line for his. If I don't bring him back safe and sound, I'm the guilty one; I'll take all the blame.

10 If we had gone ahead in the first place instead of procrastinating like this, we could have been there and back twice over."

11 Their father Israel gave in. "If it has to be, it has to be. But do this: stuff your packs with the finest products from the land you can find and take them to the man as gifts - some balm and honey, some spices and perfumes, some pistachios and almonds.

12 And take plenty of money - pay back double what was returned to your sacks; that might have been a mistake.

13 Take your brother and get going. Go back to the man.

14 And may The Strong God give you grace in that man's eyes so that he'll send back your other brother along with Benjamin. For me, nothing's left; I've lost everything."

15 The men took the gifts, double the money, and Benjamin. They lost no time in getting to Egypt and meeting Joseph.

16 When Joseph saw that they had Benjamin with them, he told his house steward, "Take these men into the house and make them at home. Butcher an animal and prepare a meal; these men are going to eat with me at noon."

17 The steward did what Joseph had said and took them inside.

18 But they became anxious when they were brought into Joseph's home, thinking, "It's the money; he thinks we ran off with the money on our first trip down here. And now he's got us where he wants us - he's going to turn us into slaves and confiscate our donkeys."

19 So they went up to Joseph's house steward and talked to him in the doorway.

20 They said, "Listen, master. We came down here one other time to buy food.

21 On our way home, the first night out we opened our bags and found our money at the mouth of the bag - the exact amount we'd paid. We've brought it all back

22 and have plenty more to buy more food with. We have no idea who put the money in our bags."

23 The steward said, "Everything's in order. Don't worry. Your God and the God of your father must have given you a bonus. I was paid in full." And with that, he presented Simeon to them.

24 He then took them inside Joseph's house and made them comfortable - gave them water to wash their feet and saw to the feeding of their donkeys.

25 The brothers spread out their gifts as they waited for Joseph to show up at noon - they had been told that they were to have dinner with him.

26 When Joseph got home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought and bowed respectfully before him.

27 Joseph welcomed them and said, "And your old father whom you mentioned to me, how is he? Is he still alive?"

28 They said, "Yes - your servant our father is quite well, very much alive." And they again bowed respectfully before him.

29 Then Joseph picked out his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son. He asked, "And is this your youngest brother that you told me about?" Then he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."

30 Deeply moved on seeing his brother and about to burst into tears, Joseph hurried out into another room and had a good cry.

31 Then he washed his face, got a grip on himself, and said, "Let's eat."

32 Joseph was served at his private table, the brothers off by themselves and the Egyptians off by themselves (Egyptians won't eat at the same table with Hebrews; it's repulsive to them).

33 The brothers were seated facing Joseph, arranged in order of their age, from the oldest to the youngest. They looked at one another wide-eyed, wondering what would happen next.

34 When the brothers' plates were served from Joseph's table, Benjamin's plate came piled high, far more so than his brothers. And so the brothers feasted with Joseph, drinking freely.