Study Desk

But the men were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph's house. "We have been brought here because of the money that was returned in our bags the first time," they said. "They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys."

So they approached Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.

When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

He asked if they were well, and then he asked, "How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?"

"Your servant our father is well," they answered. "He is still alive." And they bowed down to honor him.

They served Joseph's brothers separately from him and the Egyptians who ate with him, because Egyptians would not eat with Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.

They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at each other in astonishment.

When the portions were served to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion was five times larger than anyone else's. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.

Then Joseph instructed his steward: "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one's silver in the mouth of his bag.

They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, "Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, 'Why have you repaid good with evil?

Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph's house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near me." And they did so. "I am Joseph, your brother," he said, "the one you sold into Egypt!

Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced.

So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.

Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, "Do not quarrel on the way!"

"Joseph is still alive," they said, "and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!" But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.

However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.

They also took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.

The men are shepherds; they raise livestock, and they have brought their flocks and herds and all that they own.'