Genesis

And the famine was sore in the land.

1The famine in the land was very bad. There was still not enough food.

NoteA famine is a long time when crops do not grow and people cannot get enough food.

2And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

2The brothers ate all the grain they brought from Egypt. Then their father said, "Go back and buy us a little more food."

3And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

3But Judah said, "The man warned us clearly. He said we cannot see him again unless our brother comes with us.

4If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

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

5But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

5But if you will not send him, we will not go. The man said we cannot see him without our brother."

6And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

6Israel, who is Jacob, said, "Why did you make trouble for me? Why did you tell the man you had another brother?"

7And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

7They said, "The man asked us many questions about ourselves and our family. He asked, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We only answered what he asked. How could we know he would say, 'Bring your brother here'?"

8And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

8Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me. We will get up and go right now. Then we will live and not die. That means us, and you, and our little children.

9I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

9I promise to keep him safe. You can hold me responsible. If I do not bring him back to you, I will carry the blame all my life.

10For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

10If we had not waited so long, we could have gone and come back twice by now."

11And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

11Their father Israel said, "If it must be this way, then do this. Take the best things our land grows. Put them in your bags as a gift for the man. Take a little balm and honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds.

NoteBalm and myrrh are sticky, sweet-smelling saps from trees. People used them as medicine and perfume.

12And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

12Take twice as much silver with you. Take back the silver that was in the top of your sacks. Maybe someone made a mistake.

13Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

13Take your brother too. Get up and go back to the man.

14And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

14May God Almighty make the man kind to you. May he let your other brother and Benjamin come home. If I lose my children, then I lose them."

15And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

15So the men took the gift and twice as much silver. They took Benjamin too. They hurried down to Egypt and stood in front of Joseph.

16And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.

16Joseph saw Benjamin with them. He told the servant who ran his house, "Take these men to my house. Kill an animal and cook it. They will eat with me at noon."

17And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.

17The servant did what Joseph told him. He brought the men into Joseph's house.

18And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

18The men were afraid to be brought into Joseph's house. They said, "It is because of the silver we found in our sacks last time. He wants an excuse to grab us. He will make us slaves and take our donkeys."

19And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

19So they went up to the servant who ran Joseph's house. They talked with him at the door.

20And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

20They said, "Please, sir, we really did come here the first time to buy food.

21And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

21When we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks. Every man's silver was right there in the top of his sack. It was all there, every bit. We have brought it back with us.

22And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

22We brought more silver too, to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks."

23And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

23He said, "It is all right. Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you that treasure in your sacks. I got your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

24The servant took the men into Joseph's house. He gave them water to wash their feet. He gave their donkeys food too.

25And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

25They got their gift ready for when Joseph came at noon. They had heard they would eat a meal there.

26And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

26When Joseph came home, they gave him the gift they had brought. They bowed down low, with their faces to the ground.

27And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

27He asked how they were doing. He said, "Is your old father well, the one you told me about? Is he still alive?"

28And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

28They said, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." And they bowed down low to show honor.

29And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

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

30And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

30Joseph hurried out of the room. His love for his brother made him want to cry. He looked for a place to cry. He went into his own room and cried there.

NoteThe old wording says Joseph's "bowels did yearn." Long ago people said that to mean deep, strong love.

31And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

31Then he washed his face and came back out. He held his feelings in and said, "Serve the food."

32And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

32Joseph was served by himself, and his brothers by themselves. The Egyptians who ate with him were served by themselves too. Egyptians would not eat with Hebrews. To them that was a shameful thing to do.

33And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.

33The brothers sat in front of Joseph in order of age. The oldest sat first and the youngest sat last. The men stared at each other in surprise.

34And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

34Joseph sent them helpings of food from his own table. Benjamin's helping was five times bigger than anyone else's. They ate and drank and were happy with him.

NoteThe old word "messes" means helpings, or servings of food. "Merry" here just means happy.