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النشر الإلكتروني

CHAP. XLII. Joseph's Brethren come for Bread.

Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? 2 Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get ye down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. 3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. 4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befal him. 6 And Joseph's brethren came and bowed down themselves before him, with their faces to the earth. 7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. 9 And Joseph said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. 13 Thy 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. 14 And Joseph said unto them, 15' Hereby ye shall be proved: 16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: 17 And he put them altogether into ward three days. 18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live: for I fear God. 19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison : go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses. 20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so

shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this distress come upon us. 22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? there fore, behold, also, his blood is required. 23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. 24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and turned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound

him before their eyes. 25 Then Joseph com

manded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. 26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befel unto them. 35 And it came to pass as they emp. tied 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. 36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. 37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. 38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befal him by the way

in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

CHAP. XLIII. Joseph's Brethren visit him again.

AND the famine was sore in the land. 2 And 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, 3 And 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. 4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: 5 But 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. 6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? 7 And 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?

8 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 thou, and also our little ones. 9 I 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. 11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits of 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: 12 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; peradventure it was an oversight.

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Take also your brother, and arise, and go again unto the man: 14 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.

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15 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. 16 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. 17 And the man did as Joseph bade; 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. 23 And 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. 24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet.

26 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. 27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? is he yet alive? 28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is

yet alive; and they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. 29 And 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. 30 And 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. 34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him; but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of their's. And they drank, and were merry with him.

CHAP. XLV. Joseph acknowledgeth his Brethren.

THEN Joseph could not refrain himself; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me: 2 And he wept aloud: 3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? and his brethren could not answer him: for they were troubled at his presence. 4 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 ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now there

fore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life. 8 So now it was not you, that sent me hither, but God. 9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not. 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and all that thou hast. 11 And there will I nourish thee: (for yet there are five years of famine ;) lest thou and thy household, and all that thou hast come to poverty.

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