1 Now the famine {raav: prolonged scarcity} lay heavy {kaved: heavy burden} on the land.
2 When they had finished eating the grain {hashever: stored provision} they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy a little food {ochel: basic nourishment} for us.”
3 But Judah {Yehudah: responsible spokesman} said to him, “The man delivered to us an emphatic warning {ha-ed heid: strong testimony}, saying, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
4 If you send {meshalleach: authorize to depart} our brother with us, we will descend {nerdah: deliberate descent to Egypt} and purchase food for you.
5 But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man {ha’ish: authoritative official} said to us, “You will not see my face unless your brother {akhikhem: covenant family member} is with you.”
6 And Israel {Yisrael: Patriarch and Father} said, “Why did you bring evil {hareotem: brought harm} on me by telling the man that you still had a brother?”
7 And they said, “The man {haish: unknown Egyptian official} questioned us closely about ourselves and our kin, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have a brother?’ We answered him with these words. Could we have known {yada: discern future events} that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Then Judah addressed his father Israel, “Send the boy {hanaar: young dependent} with me, and let us rise and set out, that we may live {venikhyeh: preserve life} and not die—both we, you, and our children alike.”
9 I myself will be his surety{e’eravennu: legal guarantor}; you may require him from my own hand. If I do not bring him to you and set him before you, then I will have sinned{chatati: bear guilt} against you all the days of my life.
10 For if we had not delayed {hitmahmahnu: self-caused delay}, by now we would already have returned twice {pa’amayim: two full journeys}.
11 And Israel {Yisrael: Chosen Patriarch} their father said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the choice produce {zimrat: select yield} of the land in your vessels, and carry it down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.”
12 Also take double {mishneh: duplicated sum} the silver in your hand, and return to your hand the silver that came back in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake {mishgeh: unintentional error}.
13 Take your brother {akhikhem: younger family brother} also, and rise; go back to the man {haish: high-ranking official}.
14 And may God Almighty {El Shaddai, All-Sufficient Protector} grant you mercy {rachamim: tender covenant compassion} before the man, so that he may send your other brother and Benjamin back to you. As for me—if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.
15 So the men took this gift {minchah: diplomatic tribute}, and they took double the silver {mishneh keseph: repayment money} in their hand, along with Benjamin. Then they rose, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the one who was over his house, “Bring the men into the house, slaughter an animal {tevach: animal feast} and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon {batsohorayim: brightest part}.”
17 And the man did as Joseph {Yosef: wise administrator} had said, and he brought the men into the house {beita: household dwelling} of Joseph.
18 And the men were afraid because they had been brought into Joseph’s {Yosef: Egyptian governor} house, and they said, “It is because of the silver that was returned in our sacks at the beginning that we have been brought in—to find a pretext {lehitgolel: seek pretext} against us, to fall upon us, to take us as slaves, and to take our donkeys.”
19 So they approached the man {ha-ish: designated official} who was over Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the entrance {petach: threshold opening} of the house.
20 Then they said, ‘Please, my lord {adoni: respectful superior}, we did indeed go down first to procure provisions {lishvar: act of acquiring grain}.’
21 And it happened that when we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s silver was in the mouth of his sack—our silver in its weight {mishkal: precise measure}; so we brought it back in our hand {yad: personal possession}.
22 And we have brought down other silver {kesef: monetary payment} in our hands to buy food; we do not know who put our silver in our sacks {amtechah: grain-carrying bags}.
23 Then he said, “May peace be with you. Do not be afraid. Your God {Elohim, Hidden Provider} and the God of your father has granted you treasure {matmon: concealed wealth} in your sacks. I have received your silver.” He then brought Simeon out to them.
24 The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water, and they washed their feet {ragleihem: lower extremities}; then he gave fodder {mispo: animal feed} to their donkeys.
25 And they prepared the gift {hamminchah: respectful tribute} until Joseph came at noon, for they had heard that they would eat bread {lechem: shared meal} there.
26 When Joseph entered the house, they brought him the gift {minchah: tribute token} they held and prostrated themselves {vayishtachavu: deep submission} to the ground.
27 And he asked them about their well-being {leshalom: relational welfare}, and said, “Is your father—the old man {hazaken: advanced in age} you spoke of—well? Is he still alive?”
28 And they said, “Peace {shalom: wholeness blessing} to your servant, our father; he is still alive.” Then they bowed {kadad: respectful bending} and prostrated themselves.
29 And he raised his gaze and beheld Benjamin, his brother, the son of his mother, and said, “Is this your youngest {hakaton: smallest remaining brother} brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God {Elohim, Gracious Benefactor} be gracious to you, my son.”
30 And Joseph {Yosef: Providential Leader} hurried away, for his compassion {rachamav: deeply felt mercy} burned toward his brother, and he looked for a place to weep. He went into the inner room and wept there.
31 He washed his face {panav: outward appearance}, came out, and held himself back. Then he said, “Set out the bread {lechem: main shared meal}.”
32 And they served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews {ivrim: distinct migrant clan}; for it is an abomination {toevah: culturally loathsome act} to the Egyptians.
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright {bekhor: eldest son status} and the youngest according to his youth {tsaʿir: least in age}; and the men were astonished at one another.
34 And he sent portions {masot: shared servings} from before him to them, but Benjamin’s portion was greater than the portions of all of them—five hands {yadot: extra servings}. And they drank freely with him.