Study Desk

Joseph knew his brothers but they did not know him.

They said to one another, "For sure we are guilty for what we did to our brother. We saw the suffering of his soul while he begged us. But we would not listen. So this trouble has come to us."

Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy?' But you would not listen. Now we must pay for his blood."

Joseph went away from them and cried. Then he returned to speak with them. And he took Simeon from them and put chains on him in front of his brothers.

Then Joseph had their bags filled with grain. He had each man's money returned to his bag, to buy what was needed as they traveled. So this was done for them.

When one of them opened his bag to give his donkey food at the place where they were staying the night, he saw his money. It was there at the top of his bag.

He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It is inside my bag!" Then their hearts became full of fear. They turned to each other, shaking in fear, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

When they took the grain out of their bags, they found that every man's money was in his bag. And when they and their father saw the money, they were afraid.

Then Reuben told his father, "You may kill my two sons if I do not return him to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him to you."

But Jacob said, "My son will not go with you. For his brother is dead, and only he is left. If something were to happen to him during your traveling, you would bring my white hair down to the grave in sorrow."

And they said, "The man asked questions about us and our family. He said, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we answered his questions. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here'?"

Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me. And we will get up and go, so we and you and our children may live and not die.

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the man who took care of his house, "Bring the men into the house. And kill an animal and make it ready. For the men will eat with me at noon."

As he looked up, he saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son. He said, "Is this your youngest brother whom you told me about? May God show you loving-favor, my son."

Then Joseph went out in a hurry. For he had much feeling for his brother. He went in his room and cried.

Then he washed his face and came out. Hiding his feelings, he said, "Bring the food."

Joseph took food to them from his own table. But Benjamin's food was five times as much as any of theirs. And they were free in eating and drinking with him.

Then Joseph told the man who took care of his house, "Fill the men's bags with as much food as they can carry. And put each man's money in his bag.

Put my silver cup in the bag of the youngest, with his money for the grain." And he did what Joseph had told him to do.

When they had left the city and were not far away, Joseph said to the man who took care of his house, "Get up and follow the men. When you come to them, say to them, ‘Why have you returned bad for good? Why have you stolen the silver cup?