1 Mose 42
Hoffnung für Alle
Josefs Brüder in Ägypten
42 Auch Jakob erfuhr, dass es in Ägypten Getreide zu kaufen gab. »Warum zögert ihr noch?«, fragte er seine Söhne. 2 »In Ägypten gibt es Getreide zu kaufen! Los, beeilt euch und besorgt etwas, bevor wir verhungern!«
3 Josefs zehn Halbbrüder machten sich auf den Weg; 4 nur sein jüngster Bruder Benjamin blieb zu Hause, weil Jakob befürchtete, ihm könnte etwas zustoßen. 5 Zusammen mit vielen anderen zogen sie nach Ägypten, denn in ganz Kanaan wütete die Hungersnot.
6 Als Stellvertreter des Pharaos war Josef dafür verantwortlich, die Abgabe des Getreides an die herbeiströmenden Menschen zu überwachen. Als seine Brüder vor ihn traten, verbeugten sie sich tief. 7-8 Josef erkannte sie sofort, ließ sich aber nichts anmerken. »Woher kommt ihr?«, fuhr er sie an. »Aus Kanaan, um Getreide zu kaufen«, gaben sie ahnungslos zur Antwort. 9 Josef erinnerte sich an seine Träume von damals. »Ihr seid Spione!«, beschuldigte er sie. »Ihr seid nur gekommen, um zu erkunden, wo unser Land schwach ist!« 10 »Nein, nein, Herr, wir sind deine ergebenen Diener!«, riefen sie. »Wir möchten nur Getreide kaufen! 11 Wir sind Brüder und ehrliche Leute. Wir sind keine Spione!« 12 »Das glaube ich nicht«, entgegnete Josef, »ihr wollt unser Land ausforschen!«
13 »Herr«, antworteten sie, »unser Vater lebt in Kanaan. Wir waren zwölf Brüder. Der jüngste ist bei ihm geblieben, und einer von uns lebt nicht mehr.« 14 Aber Josef wiederholte: »Ich bleibe bei dem, was ich gesagt habe – Spione seid ihr! 15 Ich werde eure Aussage überprüfen. Beim Leben des Pharaos schwöre ich: Ihr kommt hier nicht eher heraus, bis ich euren jüngsten Bruder gesehen habe! 16 Einer von euch soll ihn holen. Die anderen bleiben in Haft, bis ich weiß, ob man sich auf eure Worte verlassen kann. Wenn nicht, dann seid ihr Spione – beim Leben des Pharaos!«
17 Er sperrte sie alle für drei Tage ein. 18 Am dritten Tag sagte er zu ihnen: »Ich bin ein Mann, der Ehrfurcht vor Gott hat. Darum lasse ich euch unter einer Bedingung am Leben: 19 Um eure Ehrlichkeit zu beweisen, bleibt einer von euch hier in Haft. Ihr anderen geht mit einer Ladung an Getreide zurück, damit eure Familien nicht mehr hungern müssen. 20 Aber bringt mir euren jüngsten Bruder herbei! Dann weiß ich, dass ihr die Wahrheit gesagt habt, und lasse euch am Leben.«
Die Brüder willigten ein. 21 Sie sagten zueinander: »Jetzt müssen wir das ausbaden, was wir Josef angetan haben! Wir sahen seine Angst, als er uns um Gnade anflehte, aber wir haben nicht gehört.« 22 »Habe ich euch damals nicht gesagt, ihr solltet den Jungen in Ruhe lassen?«, warf Ruben den anderen vor. »Aber ihr habt nicht gehört. Jetzt müssen wir für seinen Tod büßen!«
23 Sie ahnten nicht, dass Josef sie verstand, denn vorher hatte er durch einen Dolmetscher mit ihnen geredet. 24 Josef verließ den Raum, damit sie nicht merkten, dass er weinen musste. Als er sich wieder gefasst hatte, kam er zurück und ließ Simeon vor den Augen der Brüder festnehmen. 25 Dann befahl er seinen Dienern, die Säcke der anderen mit Getreide zu füllen und ihnen Verpflegung mitzugeben. Heimlich gab er die Anweisung, jedem auch sein gezahltes Geld oben in den Sack zu stecken. 26 Die Brüder beluden ihre Esel mit den Getreidesäcken und machten sich auf den Weg.
27 Über Nacht blieben sie in einer Herberge. Als einer von ihnen seinen Sack öffnete, um seinen Esel zu füttern, bemerkte er das Geld. 28 »Seht, was ich in meinem Sack gefunden habe!«, rief er. »Jemand hat mein Geld dorthin zurückgelegt!« Da bekamen sie es mit der Angst zu tun. »Was hat Gott uns angetan?«, riefen sie.
29 Zu Hause in Kanaan erzählten sie alles ihrem Vater Jakob: 30 »Der ägyptische Herrscher war sehr unfreundlich und nannte uns Spione, die das Land auskundschaften wollen. 31 Wir versicherten ihm, dass wir ehrliche Menschen und keine Spione sind. 32 ›Wir waren zwölf Brüder‹, erzählten wir ihm, ›aber einer ist tot und der jüngste zu Hause bei unserem Vater.‹ 33 Da antwortete er: ›Ich werde überprüfen, ob ihr die Wahrheit sagt. Lasst einen von euch bei mir zurück und nehmt das Getreide mit zu euren Familien nach Hause. 34 Aber ihr müsst euren jüngsten Bruder zu mir bringen! Daran will ich erkennen, dass ihr keine Spione, sondern ehrliche Menschen seid. Ich werde euch euren Bruder zurückgeben, und ihr könnt euch im Land frei bewegen!‹«
35 Als die Brüder ihre Säcke ausleeren wollten, entdeckten sie die anderen Geldbeutel. Sie erstarrten vor Schreck. 36 »Ihr raubt mir meine Kinder!«, rief Jakob verzweifelt. »Josef lebt nicht mehr, Simeon ist zurückgeblieben, und Benjamin wollt ihr mir auch noch nehmen! Nichts bleibt mir erspart!« 37 Da griff Ruben ein: »Wenn ich dir Benjamin nicht zurückbringe, kannst du meine beiden Söhne töten«, sagte er. »Ich übernehme die Verantwortung!« 38 »Nein«, rief Jakob, »es kommt überhaupt nicht in Frage, dass Benjamin mit euch geht! Sein Bruder Josef ist schon tot, und er ist der letzte von Rahels Söhnen. Ich bin ein alter Mann, und wenn ihm unterwegs auch noch etwas zustößt, würde mich das ins Grab bringen! Daran wärt allein ihr schuld!«
Bereshis 42
Orthodox Jewish Bible
42 Now when Ya’akov saw that there was shever (grain) in Mitzrayim, Ya’akov said unto his banim, Why do ye look one upon another?
2 And he said, Hinei, I have heard that there is shever (grain) in Mitzrayim; get you down to there, and buy for us from there; that we may live, and not die.
3 Achei Yosef asarah (Yosef’s ten brothers) then went down to buy grain in Mitzrayim.
4 But Binyamin, achi Yosef, Ya’akov sent not with his achim; for he said, Lest ason (evil, harm) befall him.
5 And the Bnei Yisroel came to make purchase among those that were coming; for the ra’av (famine) was in Eretz Kena’an.
6 And Yosef was the Shalit Al HaAretz, and he it was that sold to kol Am HaAretz: and Achei Yosef came, and prostrated themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
7 And Yosef saw his achim, and he recognized them, but made himself a stranger unto them, and spoke roughly unto them; and he said unto them, From where come ye? And they said, From Eretz Kena’an to buy ochel.
8 And Yosef recognized his achim, but they recognized not him.
9 And Yosef remembered the chalomot which he dreamed about them, and said unto them, Ye are meragelim (spies); to see the ervat ha’aretz (nakedness of the land) ye came.
10 And they said unto him, Lo, adoni, but to buy okhel are thy avadim come.
11 We are all bnei ish echad; we are truthful ones, thy avadim are no meragelim.
12 And he said unto them, Lo, but to see the ervat ha’aretz ye came.
13 And they said, Thy avadim are Shneym Asar Achim, the bnei ish echad in Eretz Kena’an; and, hinei, the katon is today with Avinu, and one is not.
14 And Yosef said unto them, That is it just as I spoke unto you, Ye are meragelim;
15 Hereby ye shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth from here, except achichem hakaton (your youngest brother) come here.
16 Send one of you, and let him bring back achichem, and ye shall be kept prisoner, that your words may be tested, whether there be any emes in you; or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are meragelim (spies).
17 And he put them all together el-mishmar (in custody) shloshet yamim.
18 And Yosef said unto them on the Yom HaShlishi [see 1C 15:4 OJBC], This do, and live; for I fear HaElohim:
19 If ye be truthful ones, let one of your achim be bound in your bais mishmar; go ye, carry grain for the ra’avon (famine of) bateichem (your house);
20 But bring achichem hakaton unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
21 And they said one to another, Surely we are ashemim (guilty ones) because of achinu (our brother), in that we saw the tzoros of his nefesh, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this tzoros come upon us.
22 And Reuven answered them, saying, Spoke I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the yeled; and ye would not hear? Therefore, hinei, the accounting for his dahm is required [of us (see Mt 27:25 OJBC)].
23 And they had no da’as that Yosef understood them; for he spoke unto them by the melitz (go-between, interpreter).
24 And he turned himself away from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and spoke with them, and took from them Shimon, and bound him before their eyes.
25 Then Yosef commanded to fill their kelim with grain, and to restore every man’s kesef into his sack, and to give them provision for the derech; and thus did he unto them.
26 And they loaded their chamorim with the grain, and departed from there.
27 And as one of them opened his sack to get feed for his chamor in the malon (inn), he saw his kesef; for, hinei, it was in the mouth of his sack.
28 And he said unto his achim, My kesef is restored; and, hinei, it is even in my sack; and their lev failed them, and they shook with fear, saying one to another, What is this that Elohim hath done unto us?
29 And they came unto Ya’akov Avihem in Eretz Kena’an, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
30 The ish, who is adonei HaAretz, spoke roughly to us, and took us for meragelim HaAretz.
31 And we said unto him, We are truthful ones; we are no meragelim;
32 We are Shneym Asar Achim, Bnei Avinu; one is not, and the katon is today with Avinu in Eretz Kena’an.
33 And the ish, adonei HaAretz, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are truthful ones; leave one of your achim here with me, and that which is needful for the ra’avon bateichem (famine of your houses), take and be gone;
34 And bring achichem hakaton unto me; then shall I know that ye are not meragelim, but that ye are truthful ones: so will I restore you achichem, and ye shall freely trade in the land.
35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, hinei, every man’s pouch of kesef was in his sack; and when both they and Avihem saw the pouches of kesef, they were afraid.
36 And Ya’akov Avihem said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children; Yosef is not, and Shimon is not, and ye will take Binyamin away; all these things are against me.
37 And Reuven spoke unto Aviv, saying, Slay my two banim, if I bring him not to thee; entrust him into my yad, and I will bring him to thee again.
38 And he said, Beni (my son) shall not go down with you; for achiv is dead, and he is left alone; if ason (harm, evil) befall him on the derech in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hair in yagon (sorrow) to Sheol.
Genesis 42
New International Version
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt,(A) he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” 2 He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us,(B) so that we may live and not die.”(C)
3 Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain(D) from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin,(E) Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.(F) 5 So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain,(G) for there was famine in the land of Canaan(H) also.(I)
6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land,(J) the person who sold grain to all its people.(K) So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.(L) 7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.(M) “Where do you come from?”(N) he asked.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”
8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.(O) 9 Then he remembered his dreams(P) about them and said to them, “You are spies!(Q) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(R)
10 “No, my lord,(S)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.(T) 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants(U) are honest men,(V) not spies.(W)”
12 “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”(X)
13 But they replied, “Your servants(Y) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.(Z) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”(AA)
14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!(AB) 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,(AC) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.(AD) 16 Send one of your number to get your brother;(AE) the rest of you will be kept in prison,(AF) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.(AG) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!(AH)” 17 And he put them all in custody(AI) for three days.
18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:(AJ) 19 If you are honest men,(AK) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,(AL) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.(AM) 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me,(AN) so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.
21 They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.(AO) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress(AP) has come on us.”
22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?(AQ) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting(AR) for his blood.”(AS) 23 They did not realize(AT) that Joseph could understand them,(AU) since he was using an interpreter.
24 He turned away from them and began to weep,(AV) but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.(AW)
25 Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain,(AX) to put each man’s silver back in his sack,(AY) and to give them provisions(AZ) for their journey.(BA) After this was done for them, 26 they loaded their grain on their donkeys(BB) and left.
27 At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey,(BC) and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.(BD) 28 “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”
Their hearts sank(BE) and they turned to each other trembling(BF) and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”(BG)
29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan,(BH) they told him all that had happened to them.(BI) They said, 30 “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us(BJ) and treated us as though we were spying on the land.(BK) 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies.(BL) 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’(BM)
33 “Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go.(BN) 34 But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men.(BO) Then I will give your brother back to you,(BP) and you can trade[a] in the land.(BQ)’”
35 As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver!(BR) When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.(BS) 36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more,(BT) and now you want to take Benjamin.(BU) Everything is against me!(BV)”
37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care,(BW) and I will bring him back.”(BX)
38 But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead(BY) and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him(BZ) on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave(CA) in sorrow.(CB)”
Footnotes
- Genesis 42:34 Or move about freely
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