Study Desk

When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he said, "Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son."

Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother and was at the point of tears. So he went to his room and wept there.

Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, "Set out the food."

They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so.)

He instructed the servant who was over his household, "Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack.

Then put my cup—the silver cup—in the mouth of the youngest one's sack, along with the money for his grain." He did as Joseph instructed.

They had not gone very far from the city when Joseph said to the servant who was over his household, "Pursue the men at once! When you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?

So each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

So Judah and his brothers came back to Joseph's house. He was still there, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.

My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?'

We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. The boy's brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother's sons left, and his father loves him.'

We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father will die.'

"So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us—his very life is bound up in his son's life.

"So now, please let your servant remain as my lord's slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers.

Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, so he cried out, "Make everyone go out from my presence!" No one remained with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.

Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him.

Joseph said to his brothers, "Come closer to me," so they came near. Then he said, "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.