Study Desk

But bring your youngest brother to me. In this way your statements will be verified, and you won't die." So they did it.

They said to each other, "We are in fact guilty concerning our brother. He was in distress and pleaded with us; we saw it and wouldn't listen. That's why this distress has come upon us now."

Next he ordered that their containers be filled with grain, that every man's money be put back in his pack and that they be given provisions for the journey. When these things had been done for them,

they loaded their grain on their donkeys and departed.

He said to his brothers, "My money has been restored — there it is, right in my pack!" At that, their hearts sank; they turned, trembling, to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?"

They returned to Ya‘akov their father in the land of Kena‘an and told him all that had happened to them.

Next, as they emptied their packs, there was each man's bag of money in his pack; and when they and their father saw their bags of money, they became afraid.

They answered, "The man kept questioning us about ourselves and about our kinsmen. He asked, ‘Is your father still alive?' ‘Do you have another brother?' and we answered according to the literal meaning of his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down'?"

The men took that gift, and they took twice the money with them, and Binyamin; then they prepared, went down to Egypt and stood before Yosef.

Upon being ushered inside Yosef's house, the men became fearful. They said, "It's because of the money that was returned in our packs the first time that we have been brought inside — so that he can use it as an excuse to attack us, take us as slaves and seize our donkeys too."

So they approached the manager of Yosef's household and spoke to him at the entrance of the house:

The man brought the men into Yosef's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he provided fodder for their donkeys.

When Yosef arrived home, they went in the house and presented him with the gift they had brought with them, then prostrated themselves before him on the ground.

He asked them how they were and inquired, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians included at the meal by themselves — Egyptians don't eat with Hebrews, because that is abhorrent to them.

So they sat there facing him, the firstborn in the place of honor, the youngest in last place; and the men expressed their amazement to each other.

Each was given his serving there in front of him, but Binyamin's portion was five times as large as any of theirs. So they drank and enjoyed themselves with him.

Then he ordered the manager of his household, "Fill the men's packs with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money just inside his pack.

but before they were far from the city Yosef said to his manager, "Up, go after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?

At this, they tore their clothes from grief. Then each man loaded up his donkey and returned to the city.