Genesis 43
English Standard Version
Joseph's Brothers Return to Egypt
43 Now the famine was (A)severe in the land. 2 And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” 3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your (B)brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’” 6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” 7 They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may (C)live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. (D)If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”
11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little (E)balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money (F)that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. 14 May (G)God Almighty[a] (H)grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, (I)if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15 So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the (J)steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17 The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph's house. 18 And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” 19 So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house and spoke with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, (K)“Oh, my lord, (L)we came down the first time to buy food. 21 And (M)when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us, 22 and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” 23 He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 And when the man had brought the men into Joseph's house and (N)given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, 25 they prepared (O)the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and (P)bowed down to him to the ground. 27 And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man (Q)of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they (R)bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. 29 And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, (S)his mother's son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, (T)of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” 30 Then Joseph hurried out, for (U)his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and (V)wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out. And (W)controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.” 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is (X)an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 (Y)Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was (Z)five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry[b] with him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 43:14 Hebrew El Shaddai
- Genesis 43:34 Hebrew and became intoxicated
Genesis 43
Het Boek
Het tweede bezoek van Jozefs broers
43 De vreselijke hongersnood bleef op het land drukken. 2 Toen het graan dat zij uit Egypte hadden meegebracht bijna op was, zei Jakob tegen zijn zonen: ‘Ga nog maar een keer voedsel halen.’ 3-5 Maar Juda zei tegen hem: ‘De leider van Egypte meende het toen hij zei: “U kunt hier beter niet terugkomen als u die jongste broer niet meeneemt.” We kunnen geen voedsel halen, tenzij Benjamin met ons meegaat.’ 6 ‘Waarom moesten jullie die man zo nodig vertellen dat jullie nog een jongere broer hadden?’ vroeg Israël geërgerd. ‘Jullie hebben mij mooi in de moeilijkheden gebracht.’ 7 ‘Maar die man vroeg ons speciaal naar onze familie,’ zeiden zij hem. ‘Hij wilde weten of onze vader nog leefde en vroeg ook of we nog een andere broer hadden. Daarom vertelden wij het hem. Hoe konden wij weten dat hij zou zeggen: “Neem uw jongste broer mee?” ’
8 Juda zei tegen zijn vader: ‘Laat mij de jongen meenemen, dan kunnen we gaan. Anders zullen we allemaal verhongeren en niet alleen wij, maar ook u en onze kleine kinderen. 9 Ik verzeker u dat hij veilig zal zijn. Als ik hem niet terugbreng, zal ik voor altijd bij u in de schuld staan. 10 Als u eerder had toegestemd, waren we nu al twee keer heen en terug naar Egypte geweest.’
11 Ten slotte stemde Israël toe met de woorden: ‘Als het dan niet anders kan, moet het maar zo. Geef die man als geschenk balsem, honing, gom en hars, terpentijnnoten en amandelen. 12 Neem dubbel geld mee, zodat jullie het geld dat bovenin de zakken zat, kunnen terugbetalen. Iemand daar heeft vast een fout gemaakt. 13 Neem jullie broer mee en ga. 14 Moge God, de Almachtige, jullie genadig zijn als jullie bij die man komen, zodat hij Simeon vrijlaat en Benjamin laat terugkomen. Als ik mijn kinderen moet kwijtraken, dan moet het maar.’
15 Zij namen de geschenken en het dubbele geld en trokken naar Egypte, waar ze weer oog in oog kwamen te staan met Jozef. 16 Toen die zag dat ze Benjamin hadden meegenomen, zei hij tegen zijn huismeester: ‘Deze mannen zullen vanmiddag bij mij eten. Neem ze mee naar huis en maak een feestelijke maaltijd klaar.’ 17 De man voerde de opdracht uit en nam de broers mee naar Jozefs paleis.
18 Zij werden echter alleen maar banger, toen ze zagen waar ze heen werden gebracht. ‘Dit doet hij vanwege dat geld dat in onze zakken zat,’ zeiden ze tegen elkaar. ‘Hij zal wel zeggen dat we het hebben gestolen en ons tot slaven maken. Dan kan hij onze ezels ook in beslag nemen.’
19-21 Toen ze bij de deur van het paleis kwamen, wendden zij zich tot de huismeester en zeiden: ‘Och meneer, na onze eerste reis naar Egypte om eten te halen, stopten we op de terugtocht voor de overnachting en openden onze zakken en daar zat het geld in, dat we voor het graan hadden betaald. 22 Kijk, hier is het, we hebben het mee teruggenomen en we hebben nog meer geld om hier weer graan te kopen. We hebben geen flauw idee hoe dat geld in onze zakken is terechtgekomen.’ 23 ‘Maakt u zich daar maar geen zorgen over,’ zei de huismeester, ‘uw God of de God van uw vaderen zal het daar hebben gelegd, want wij hebben geen geld gemist.’ Toen liet de huismeester Simeon vrij. 24 De broers werden het paleis binnengeleid en kregen water om hun voeten te wassen en de ezels werden gevoederd. 25 Ze legden hun geschenken klaar voor Jozef wanneer hij die middag zou komen, want zij hadden gehoord dat hij thuis kwam eten.
26 Toen Jozef kwam, boden ze hem de geschenken aan en bogen diep voor hem. 27 Hij vroeg hoe het met hen ging. ‘En hoe is het met uw vader, die oude man over wie u sprak? Leeft hij nog?’ 28 ‘Ja zeker,’ was het antwoord. ‘Hij leeft en is goed gezond.’ Daarna bogen zij weer diep voor hem. 29 Met een knik naar Benjamin vroeg Jozef: ‘Is dit uw jongste broer over wie u mij vertelde? Hoe is het met je, mijn zoon? God zij je genadig.’ 30 Toen verliet Jozef haastig het vertrek, want de liefde voor zijn broer overweldigde hem en hij kon zijn tranen niet bedwingen. In zijn slaapkamer huilde hij vrijuit. 31 Daarna waste hij zijn gezicht en ging weer terug. Hij had zichzelf weer in bedwang. 32 ‘Laten we gaan eten,’ zei hij. Jozef at alleen. Zijn broers werden aan een andere tafel bediend en de Egyptenaren zaten aan een derde tafel. Egyptenaren verachtten Hebreeërs en aten niet samen met hen. 33 Jozef wees ieder zijn plaats en zette hen op volgorde van leeftijd, van de oudste tot de jongste. Ze keken elkaar verbaasd aan! 34 Hun eten kwam van Jozefs tafel. Maar Benjamin kreeg vijfmaal zoveel als de anderen! Het werd een echt feest met vrolijk gepraat en veel wijn.
Genesis 43
New International Version
The Second Journey to Egypt
43 Now the famine was still severe in the land.(A) 2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt,(B) their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”(C)
3 But Judah(D) said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’(E) 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.(F) 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.(G)’”
6 Israel(H) asked, “Why did you bring this trouble(I) on me by telling the man you had another brother?”
7 They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’(J) he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’(K) We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”(L)
8 Then Judah(M) said to Israel(N) his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.(O) 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him.(P) If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame(Q) before you all my life.(R) 10 As it is, if we had not delayed,(S) we could have gone and returned twice.”
11 Then their father Israel(T) said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products(U) of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift(V)—a little balm(W) and a little honey, some spices(X) and myrrh,(Y) some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount(Z) of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks.(AA) Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.(AB) 14 And may God Almighty[a](AC) grant you mercy(AD) before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you.(AE) As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”(AF)
15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver,(AG) and Benjamin also. They hurried(AH) down to Egypt and presented themselves(AI) to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin(AJ) with them, he said to the steward of his house,(AK) “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal;(AL) they are to eat with me at noon.”
17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house.(AM) 18 Now the men were frightened(AN) when they were taken to his house.(AO) They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks(AP) the first time. He wants to attack us(AQ) and overpower us and seize us as slaves(AR) and take our donkeys.(AS)”
19 So they went up to Joseph’s steward(AT) and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.(AU) 21 But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.(AV) 22 We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”
23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father,(AW) has given you treasure in your sacks;(AX) I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.(AY)
24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house,(AZ) gave them water to wash their feet(BA) and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 They prepared their gifts(BB) for Joseph’s arrival at noon,(BC) because they had heard that they were to eat there.
26 When Joseph came home,(BD) they presented to him the gifts(BE) they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.(BF) 27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father(BG) you told me about? Is he still living?”(BH)
28 They replied, “Your servant our father(BI) is still alive and well.” And they bowed down,(BJ) prostrating themselves before him.(BK)
29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son,(BL) he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?”(BM) And he said, “God be gracious to you,(BN) my son.” 30 Deeply moved(BO) at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept(BP) there.
31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself,(BQ) said, “Serve the food.”(BR)
32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews,(BS) for that is detestable to Egyptians.(BT) 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn(BU) to the youngest;(BV) and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s.(BW) So they feasted(BX) and drank freely with him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 43:14 Hebrew El-Shaddai
Genesis 43
King James Version
43 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:
10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
11 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:
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:
13 Take also your brother, and arise, 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.
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.
18 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.
19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,
20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21 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.
22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
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; and he gave their asses provender.
25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
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.
31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
32 And 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.
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.
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.
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