Study Desk

Now ^(C1)Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, "Why are you staring at one another?"

Then he said, "Look, ^(C1)I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from ^(F1)that place, ^(C2)so that we may live and not die."

So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother ^(C1)Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "^(C2)I am afraid that harm may happen to him."

So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, ^(C1)because the famine was also in the land of Canaan.

Now ^(C1)Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold grain to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and ^(C2)bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and ^(C1)spoke to them harshly. He said to them, "Where have you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."

But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although ^(C1)they did not recognize him.

And Joseph ^(C1)remembered the dreams which he ^(F1)had about them, and he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to look at the ^(F2)undefended parts of our land."

And they said to him, "No, ^(C1)my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

"We are all sons of one man; we are ^(C1)honest men, your servants are not spies."

Yet he said to them, "No, but you have come to look at the ^(F1)undefended parts of our land!"

But they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with ^(C1)our father today, and ^(C2)one is no longer alive."

Yet Joseph said to them, "It is as I said ^(F1)to you, you are spies;

by this you will be tested: ^(C1)by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here!

"Send one of you and have him get your brother, while you remain confined, so that your words may be tested, whether there is ^(C1)truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, you are certainly spies!"

So he put them all together in ^(C1)prison for three days.

Now Joseph said to them on the third day, "Do this and live, for ^(C1)I fear God:

if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in ^(F1)your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households,

and ^(C1)bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified, and you will not die." And they did so.

Then they said to one another, "^(C1)Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; for that reason this distress has happened to us."

Reuben answered them, saying, "^(C1)Did I not tell ^(F1)you, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? ^(F2)(C2)Now justice for his blood is required."

They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them.

Then he turned away from them and ^(C1)wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he ^(C2)took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

^(C1)Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, but also to return every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And that is what was done for them.

So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.

But when one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the overnight campsite, he saw his ^(C1)money; and behold, it was in the opening of his sack!

So he said to his brothers, "My money has been returned, and look, it is right in my sack!" Then their hearts ^(F1)sank, and they turned ^(F2)trembling to one another, saying, "^(C1)What is this that God has done to us?"