Genesis chapter .xliij.
¶ And the dearth waxed sore in the land.
And when they had eaten up that corn which they brought out of the land of Egypt, their father said unto them: go again and buy us a little food.
Then said Iuda unto him: the man did testify unto us saying: look that ye see not my face except your brother be with you.
Therefore if thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go and buy the food.
But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go: for the man said unto us: look that ye see not my face, except your brother be with you.
And Israel said: wherefore dealt ye so cruelly with me, as to tell the man that ye had yet another brother?
And they said: The man asked us of our kindred saying: is your father yet alive? have ye not another brother? And we told him according to these words. How could we know that he would bid us bring our brother down with us?
Then said Iuda unto Israel his father: Send the lad with me, and we will rise and go, that we may live and not die: both we, thou and also our children.
I will be surety for him, and of my hands require him. If I bring him not to thee and set him before thine eyes, then let me bear the blame for ever.
For except we had made this tarrying: by this we had been there twice and come again.
¶ Then their father Israel said unto them: if it must needs be so now: then do thus, take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and bring the man a present, a courtesy balm, and a courtesy of honey, spices and myrrh, dates and almonds.
And take as much money more with you. And the money that was brought again in your sacks, take it again with you in your hands, peradventure it was some oversight.
Take also your brother with you, and arise and go again to the man.
And God almighty give you mercy in the sight of the man and send you your other brother and also Ben Iamin, and I will be as a man robbed of his children.
¶ Thus took they the present and twice so much more money with them, and Ben Iamin. And rose up, went down to Egypt, and presented themself to Ioseph.
When Ioseph saw Ben Iamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house: bring these men home, and slay and make ready: for they shall dine with me at noon.
And the man did as Ioseph bade, and brought them in to Ioseph's house.
When they were brought to Ioseph's house, they were afraid, and said: because of the money that came in our sacks' mouths at the first time, are we brought, to pick a quarrel with us and to lay some thing to our charge: to bring us in bondage and our asses also.
Therefore came they to the man that was the ruler over Ioseph's house, and communed with him at the door
and said: Sir, we came hither at the first time to buy food,
and as we came to an inn and opened our sacks: behold, every man's money was in his sack with full weight: But we have brought it again with us,
and other money have we brought also in our hands, to buy food, but we can not tell who put our money in our sacks.
And he said: be of good cheer, fear not: Your God and the God of your fathers hath put you that treasure in your sacks, for I had your money. And he brought Simeon out to them
and led them into Ioseph's house, and gave them water to wash their feet, and gave their asses provender:
And they made ready their present against Ioseph came at noon, for they heard say that they should dine there.
¶ When Ioseph came home, they brought the present into the house to him, which they had in their hands, and fell flat on the ground before him.
And he welcomed them courteously saying: is your father that old man which ye told me of, in good health? and is he yet alive?
they answered: thy servant our father is in good health, and is yet alive. And they bowed them selves and fell to the ground.
And he lift up his eyes and beheld his brother Ben Iamin his mother's son, and said: is this your youngest brother of whom ye said unto me? And said: God be merciful unto thee my son.
And Ioseph made haste (for his heart did melt upon his brother) and sought for to weep, and entered into his chamber, for to weep there.
And he washed his face and came out and refrained himself, and bade set bread on the table.
And they prepared for him by himself, and for them by them selves, and for the Egyptians which ate with him by them selves, because the Egyptians may not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
And they sat before him: the eldest according unto his age, and the youngest according unto his youth. And the men marvelled among them selves.
And they brought rewards unto them from before him: but Ben Iamin's part was five times so much as any of theirs. And they ate and they drank, and were drunk with him.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.