Study Desk

And they came to their father Jacob to the land of Canaan. And they told him all that met them, saying,

The man, the lord of the land, spoke harsh things to us and considered us as spies in the land.

And we said to him, We are honest; we are not spies.

We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; the one is not, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.

And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, By this I shall know that you are honest; leave your one brother with me, and take and go for the famine of your houses.

And bring your youngest brother to me, and I may know that you are not spies, but you are honest. I will give your brother to you and you may trade in the land.

And it happened. They were emptying their sacks, and, behold, each one's bundle of silver was in his sack; and they saw the bundles of their silver, and they were afraid.

And their father Jacob said to them, You have bereaved me. Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and you will take Benjamin? All of these are against me.

And Reuben spoke to his father, saying, You may kill my two sons if I do not bring him to you. Give him into my hand, and I will return him to you.

And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. And if harm should happen to him in the way in which you go, you would bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.