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Genesis 43

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ For if we had not delayed like this, surely by now we would have returned the second time."

² Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this; take some of the choicest products of the land in your sacks, and carry it as a present [of tribute] to the man [representing Pharaoh], a little balm and a little honey, aromatic spices or gum, resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

³ Take double the [amount of] money with you, and take back the money that was returned in the opening of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.

⁴ Take your brother [Benjamin] also, and get up, and go to the man;

⁵ and may[3] God Almighty grant you compassion and favor before the man, so that he will release to you your other brother [Simeon] and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children [Joseph, Simeon, and Benjamin], I am bereaved."

⁶ Then the men took the present, and they took double the [amount of] money with them, and Benjamin; then they left and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

⁷ When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and kill an animal and make [a meal] ready; for the men will dine with me at noon."

⁸ So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house.

⁹ The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and [expecting the worst] they said, "It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time [we came] that we are being brought in, so that he may find a reason to accuse us and assail us, and take us as slaves, and seize our donkeys."

¹⁰ So they approached the steward of Joseph's house, and talked with him at the entrance of the house,

¹¹ and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down here the first time to buy food;

¹² and when we arrived at the inn [after leaving here], we opened our sacks and there was each man's money [with which he had paid for grain], in full, returned in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back [this time].

¹³ We have also brought down with us additional money to buy food; we do not know who put our money [back] in our sacks [last time]."

¹⁴ But the steward [encouraged them and] said, "Peace be to you, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father has [miraculously] given you treasure in your sacks. I [already] had your money [which you paid to us]." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

¹⁵ Then the steward brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed [the dust off] their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.

¹⁶ So they prepared the present [of tribute] for Joseph before his arrival at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.

¹⁷ When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present [of tribute] which they had with them and bowed to the ground before him.

¹⁸ He asked them about their well-being, and said, "Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

¹⁹ And they answered, "Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive." And they bowed down [their heads before Joseph] in respect.

²⁰ And he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's [only other] son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" And Joseph said, "God be gracious to you and show you favor, my son."

²¹ Then Joseph hurried out [of the room] because his heart was deeply touched over his brother, and he sought privacy to weep; so he entered his chamber and wept there.

²² Then he washed his face and came out, and, restraining himself, said, "Let the meal be served."

²³ So the servants served Joseph by himself [in honor of his rank], and his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because [according to custom] the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is[4] loathsome to the Egyptians.

²⁴ Now Joseph's brothers were seated [by the steward] before him [in the order of their birth]—the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked at one another in astonishment [because so much was known about them].

²⁵ Joseph selected and sent portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely and celebrated with him.

²⁶ And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's [grain] money in the mouth of the sack.

²⁷ Put my [personal] cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his grain money." And the steward did as Joseph had told him.

²⁸ As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

²⁹ When they had left the city, and were not yet far away, Joseph said to his steward, "Get up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil [to us] for good [paid to you]?

³⁰ Is this not my lord's drinking cup and the one which he uses for divination? You have done [a great and unforgivable] wrong in doing this.'"

³¹ So the steward overtook them and he said these words to them.

³² They said to him, "Why does my lord speak these things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

³³ Please remember, the money which we found in the mouths of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Is it likely then that we would steal silver or gold from your master's house?

³⁴ With whomever of your servants your master's cup is found, let him die, and the rest of us will be my lord's slaves."

#	AMP
1	For if we had not delayed like this, surely by now we would have returned the second time."
2	Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this; take some of the choicest products of the land in your sacks, and carry it as a present [of tribute] to the man [representing Pharaoh], a little balm and a little honey, aromatic spices or gum, resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
3	Take double the [amount of] money with you, and take back the money that was returned in the opening of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.
4	Take your brother [Benjamin] also, and get up, and go to the man;
5	and may[3] God Almighty grant you compassion and favor before the man, so that he will release to you your other brother [Simeon] and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children [Joseph, Simeon, and Benjamin], I am bereaved."
6	Then the men took the present, and they took double the [amount of] money with them, and Benjamin; then they left and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
7	When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and kill an animal and make [a meal] ready; for the men will dine with me at noon."
8	So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house.
9	The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and [expecting the worst] they said, "It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time [we came] that we are being brought in, so that he may find a reason to accuse us and assail us, and take us as slaves, and seize our donkeys."
10	So they approached the steward of Joseph's house, and talked with him at the entrance of the house,
11	and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down here the first time to buy food;
12	and when we arrived at the inn [after leaving here], we opened our sacks and there was each man's money [with which he had paid for grain], in full, returned in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back [this time].
13	We have also brought down with us additional money to buy food; we do not know who put our money [back] in our sacks [last time]."
14	But the steward [encouraged them and] said, "Peace be to you, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father has [miraculously] given you treasure in your sacks. I [already] had your money [which you paid to us]." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
15	Then the steward brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed [the dust off] their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.
16	So they prepared the present [of tribute] for Joseph before his arrival at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.
17	When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present [of tribute] which they had with them and bowed to the ground before him.
18	He asked them about their well-being, and said, "Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"
19	And they answered, "Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive." And they bowed down [their heads before Joseph] in respect.
20	And he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's [only other] son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" And Joseph said, "God be gracious to you and show you favor, my son."
21	Then Joseph hurried out [of the room] because his heart was deeply touched over his brother, and he sought privacy to weep; so he entered his chamber and wept there.
22	Then he washed his face and came out, and, restraining himself, said, "Let the meal be served."
23	So the servants served Joseph by himself [in honor of his rank], and his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because [according to custom] the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is[4] loathsome to the Egyptians.
24	Now Joseph's brothers were seated [by the steward] before him [in the order of their birth]—the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked at one another in astonishment [because so much was known about them].
25	Joseph selected and sent portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely and celebrated with him.
26	And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's [grain] money in the mouth of the sack.
27	Put my [personal] cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his grain money." And the steward did as Joseph had told him.
28	As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
29	When they had left the city, and were not yet far away, Joseph said to his steward, "Get up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil [to us] for good [paid to you]?
30	Is this not my lord's drinking cup and the one which he uses for divination? You have done [a great and unforgivable] wrong in doing this.'"
31	So the steward overtook them and he said these words to them.
32	They said to him, "Why does my lord speak these things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!
33	Please remember, the money which we found in the mouths of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Is it likely then that we would steal silver or gold from your master's house?
34	With whomever of your servants your master's cup is found, let him die, and the rest of us will be my lord's slaves."

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Genesis 43

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