- And Jacob dwelled in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. And this is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him.
- And Joseph dreamed a dream and he told it to his brethren, and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright. And behold, your sheaves stood round about and bowed down to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more. And behold, the sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me. And he told it to his father and to his brethren. And his father rebuked him and said unto him, What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to you to the earth? And his brethren envied him, but his father observed the saying. And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.
- And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not your brethren feed the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray you, see whether it is well with your brethren and well with the flocks, and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
- And a certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, What do you seek? And he said, I seek my brethren; tell me, I pray you, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed from here, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren and found them in Dothan.
- And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes. Come now therefore and let us slay him and cast him into some pit, and we will say some evil beast has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
- And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness and lay no hand upon him — that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
- And it came to pass when Joseph had come unto his brethren that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him, and they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
- And they sat down to eat bread. And they lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
- Then there passed by Midianites, merchantmen, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. And Reuben returned unto the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren and said, The child is not; and I, where shall I go? And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood. And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, This have we found. Know now whether it is your son’s coat or no. And he knew it and said, It is my son’s coat. An evil beast has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, For I will go down into the grave, unto my son, mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
- And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s and captain of the guard.
- And it came to pass at that time that Judah went down from his brethren and turned in to a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. And he took her, and went in and lay with her. And she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. And she conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. And she yet again conceived and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. And he was at Chezib when she bore him. And Judah took a wife for Er, his first born, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah’s first born, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go and marry your brother’s wife, and raise up seed unto your brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his. And it came to pass when he married his brother’s wife that he would not lie with her, lest he should raise up seed unto his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; wherefore, he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at your father’s house until Shelah my son is grown (for he said, Lest perhaps he die also, as his brethren did). And Tamar went and dwelled in her father’s house.
- And in process of time, the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died. And Judah was comforted and went up unto his sheep shearers, to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told to Tamar, saying, Behold, your father-in-law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep. And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way and said, Come, I pray you, let me come and lie with you (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law). And she said, What will you give me that you may come in and lie with me? And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge until you send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give you? And she said, Your signet, and your bracelets, and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave it to her, and came in and slept with her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he found her not. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot that was openly by the wayside? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. And he returned to Judah and said, I cannot find her. And also, the men of the place said that there was no harlot in this place. And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed; behold, I sent this kid, and you have not found her. And it came to pass about three months after that it was told to Judah, saying, Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the harlot. And also behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth and let her be burned. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man whose these are am I with child. And she said, Discern, I pray you, whose are these: the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them and said, She has been more righteous than I, because I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
- And it came to pass in the time of her travail that behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass when she travailed that the one put out his hand. And the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass as he drew back his hand that, behold, his brother came out. And she said, How have you broken forth? This breach be upon you. Therefore, his name was called Perez. And afterward came out his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand. And his name was called Zerah.
- And Joseph was brought down to Egypt. And Potiphar (an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian) bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. And he was in the house of his master the Egyptian, and his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight and he served him. And he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
- And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house and over all that he had that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he entrusted everything he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a handsome person and well-favored.
- And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master knows not what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I, neither has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? And it came to pass as she spoke to Joseph day by day that he listened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me. And he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and went outside. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and was fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house and spoke unto them, saying, See, he has brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock us. He came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice. And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and went outside. And she laid up his garment by her until his lord came home. And she spoke unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant whom you have brought unto us came in unto me to mock me. And it came to pass as I lifted up my voice and cried that he left his garment with me and fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke unto him, saying, After this manner did your servant to me, that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound. And he was there in the prison, but the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison. And whatever they did there, he was the overseer. The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand, because the Lord was with him. And that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.
- And it came to pass after these things that the butler of the king of Egypt, and his baker, had offended their lord, the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them. And they continued a season in custody.
- And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt who were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning and looked upon them, and behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, Why do you look so sad today? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, I pray you. And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me. And in the vine were three branches. And it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes. And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up your head and restore you unto your place. And you shall deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand after the former manner when you were his butler. But think on me when it shall be well with you, and show kindness, I pray you, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
- When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and behold, I had three white baskets on my head. And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of baked goods for Pharaoh. And the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up your head from off you and shall hang you on a tree. And the birds shall eat your flesh from off you.
- And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand, but he hung the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him.
- And it came to pass at the end of two full years that Pharaoh dreamed. And behold, he stood by the river. And behold, there came up out of the river seven well-favored cattle and fat-fleshed, and they fed in a meadow. And behold, seven other cattle came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed, and stood by the other cattle upon the brink of the river. And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed cattle did eat up the seven well-favored and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time. And behold, seven ears of grain came up upon one stalk, plump and good. And behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
- And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled. And he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men thereof. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. Then spoke the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day. Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in custody in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker. And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he. We dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams, to each man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass as he interpreted to us, so it was. Me he restored unto my office, and him he hung.
- Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. And they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. And he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it; and I have heard say of you that you can understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me. God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river. And behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle, fat-fleshed and well-favored, and they fed in a meadow. And behold, seven other cattle came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness. And the lean and the ill-favored cattle did eat up the first seven fat cattle. And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them, but they were still ill-favored as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good. And behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. And I told this unto the magicians, but there was none that could declare it to me.
- And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cattle are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years. The dream is one. And the seven thin and ill-favored cattle that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do, he shows unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine. And all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land. And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following, for it shall be very grievous. And for that, the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice. It is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh seek out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up grain under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine.
- And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is? A man in whom the spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and according unto your word shall all my people be ruled. Only in the throne will I be greater than you. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had. And they cried before him, Bow the knee! And he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh. And without you shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah. And he gave him to wife Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On.
- And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years, the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities. The food of the field which was round about every city laid he up in the same. And Joseph gathered grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering, for it was without number. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore unto him. And Joseph called the name of the first born Manasseh, For God, said he, has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim, For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. And the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended.
- And the seven years of dearth began to come according as Joseph had said. And the dearth was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he says to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth. And Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold unto the Egyptians. And the famine waxed severe in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, in order to buy grain, because the famine was so severe in all lands.
- Now when Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do you look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us from there, that we may live and not die. And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy grain in Egypt — but Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren, for he said, Lest perhaps mischief befall him.
- And the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those that came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brethren came and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren and he knew them, but made himself unknown unto them and spoke roughly unto them. And he said unto them, Where do you come from? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, You are spies; to see the nakedness of the land you have come. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are your servants come. We are all one man’s sons. We are true men; your servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land you have come. And they said, Your servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. And behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. And Joseph said unto them, It is as I spoke unto you, saying, You are spies. Hereby you shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go forth from here except your youngest brother come here. Send one of you and let him fetch your brother, and you shall be kept in prison that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies. And he put them all together into custody three days.
- And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do and live, for I fear God. If you are true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison. Go, carry grain for the famine of your houses, but bring your youngest brother unto me. So shall your words be verified and you shall not die. And they did so. And they said one to another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he implored us and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spoke I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child, and you would not hear? Therefore behold, also his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them, for he spoke unto them by an interpreter. And he turned himself about from them and wept, and returned to them again and communed with them, and took from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes.
- Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with grain, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way. And thus did he unto them. And they loaded their asses with the grain and departed from there.
- And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass feed in the inn, he spied his money, for behold, it was in his sack’s mouth. And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored. And behold, it is even in my sack. And their heart failed them and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God has done unto us? And they came unto Jacob their father, unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them, saying, The man who is the lord of the land spoke roughly to us and took us for spies of the country. And we said unto him, We are true men, we are no spies, we are twelve brethren, sons of our father. One is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that you are true men: leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone; and bring your youngest brother unto me. Then shall I know that you are no spies, but that you are true men. So will I deliver you your brother, and you shall traffic in the land. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack. And when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have you bereaved of my children. Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and you will take Benjamin away; all these things are against me. And Reuben spoke unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons if I bring him not to you. Deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to you again. And he said, My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he is left alone. If mischief befall him by the way in which you go, then shall you bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
- And the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah spoke unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, You shall not see my face except your brother be with you. If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. But if you will not send him, we will not go down. For the man said unto us, You shall not see my face except your brother be with you. And Israel said, Why did you deal so ill with me as to tell the man whether you had yet a brother? And they said, The man asked us intently of our state and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? Do you have 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? And 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 you, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him. Of my hand shall you require him. If I bring him not unto you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever. For except we had lingered, surely now we would have returned this second time. And 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. And 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; perhaps it was an oversight. Take also your brother, and arise; go again unto the man. And 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.
- And 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. And 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. And the man did as Joseph bid, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. And 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. And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke with him at the door of the house and said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food. And 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. And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food. We cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. And he said, Peace be to you, fear not. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them. And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he gave their asses feed. And they made ready the present for when Joseph came at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there. And 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. And he asked them of their welfare and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive? And they answered, Your servant, our father, is in good health; he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads and paid respect. And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto you, my son. And Joseph made haste, for his heart was overjoyed at his brother. And he sought where to weep, and he entered into his chamber and wept there. And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who did eat with him by themselves, because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. And they sat before him the first born according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one at another. And he took and sent food unto them from before him, but Benjamin’s food was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.
- And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his grain money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
- And when they were gone out of the city and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men. And when you do overtake them, say unto them, Why have you rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinks and whereby indeed he divines? You have done evil in so doing. And he overtook them and he spoke unto them these same words. And they said unto him, Why does my lord say these words? God forbid that your servants should do according to this thing. Behold, the money which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal out of your lord’s house silver or gold? With whomever of your servants it is found, both let him die and we also will be my lord’s bondmen. And he said, Now also, let it be according unto your words. He with whom it is found shall be my servant and you shall be blameless. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they rent their clothes and loaded every man his ass and returned to the city.
- And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house, for he was yet there, and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly divine? And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also with whom the cup is found. And he said, God forbid that I should do so; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant. And as for you, go up in peace unto your father.
- Then Judah came near unto him and said, O my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord’s ears. And let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Do you have a father or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one, and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him. And you said unto your servants, Bring him down unto me that I may set my eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And you said unto your servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, you shall see my face no more. And it came to pass, when we came up unto your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go again and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then will we go down; for we may not see the man’s face except our youngest brother is with us. And your servant my father said unto us, You know that my wife bore me two sons. And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces, and I saw him not since. And if you take this also from me and mischief befall him, you shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life, it shall come to pass when he sees that the lad is not with us that he will die. And your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave; for your servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto you, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray you, let your servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father and the lad be not with me? Lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.
- Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him, and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me! And there stood no man with him while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph. Does my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that you sold me here, for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years has the famine been in the land, and yet there are five years in which there shall neither be plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me here, but God. And he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Hasten yourself and go up to my father and say unto him, Thus says your son Joseph: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down unto me, delay not. And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near unto me, you and your children, and your children’s children, and your flocks, and your herds, and all that you have. And there will I nourish you, for yet there are five years of famine, lest you, and your household, and all that you have come to poverty. And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks unto you. And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen. And you shall hasten and bring down my father here.
- And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept. And Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them. And after that, his brethren talked with him.
- And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, Joseph’s brethren have come. And it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto your brethren, This do: load your beasts and go, get yourselves unto the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households and come unto me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land. Now you are commanded, this do: take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. Also, regard not your stuff, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment. And to his father he sent after this manner: ten asses loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses loaded with grain, and bread, and food for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed. And he said unto them, See that you fall not out by the way.
- And they went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan, unto Jacob their father, and told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them. And when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. And Israel said, It is enough. Joseph my son is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die.
- And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of your father. Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of you a great nation. I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again, and Joseph shall put his hand upon your eyes.
- And Jacob rose up from Beersheba. And the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle and their goods which they had gotten in the land of Canaan and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his seed with him: his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
Chapter 11