Génesis 42
Bible in Basic English
1Now Jacob, hearing that there was grain in Egypt, said to his sons, Why are you looking at one another?
2And he said, I have had news that there is grain in Egypt: go down there and get grain for us, so that life and not death may be ours.
3So Joseph's ten brothers went down to get grain from Egypt.
4But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with them, for fear, as he said, that some evil might come to him.
5And the sons of Israel came with all the others to get grain: for they were very short of food in the land of Canaan.
6Now Joseph was ruler over all the land, and it was he who gave out the grain to all the people of the land; and Joseph's brothers came before him and went down on their faces to the earth.
7And when Joseph saw his brothers, it was clear to him who they were, but he made himself strange to them, and talking roughly to them, said, Where do you come from? And they said, From the land of Canaan, to get food.
8Now though Joseph saw that these were his brothers, they had no idea who he was.
9Then the memory of his dreams about them came back to Joseph, and he said to them, You have come secretly to see how poor the land is.
10And they said to him, Not so, my lord: your servants have come with money to get food.
11We are all one man's sons, we are true men; we have not come with any secret purpose.
12And he said to them, No, but you have come to see how poor the land is.
13Then they said, We your servants are twelve brothers, sons of one man in the land of Canaan; the youngest of us is now with our father, and one is dead.
14And Joseph said, It is as I said; you have come with some secret purpose;
15But in this way will you be put to the test: by the life of Pharaoh, you will not go away from this place till your youngest brother comes here.
16Send one of your number to get your brother, and the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are true; if not, by the life of Pharaoh, your purpose is certainly secret.
17So he put them in prison for three days.
18And on the third day Joseph said to them, Do this, if you would keep your lives: for I am a god-fearing man:
19If you are true men, let one of you be kept in prison, while you go and take grain for the needs of your families;
20And come back to me with your youngest brother, so that your words may be seen to be true, and you will not be put to death. This is what you are to do.
21And they said to one another, Truly, we did wrong to our brother, for we saw his grief of mind, and we did not give ear to his prayers; that is why this trouble has come on us.
22And Reuben said to them, Did I not say to you, Do the child no wrong? but you gave no attention; so now, punishment has come on us for his blood.
23They were not conscious that the sense of their words was clear to Joseph, for he had been talking to them through one who had knowledge of their language.
24And turning away from them, he was overcome with weeping; then he went on talking to them again and took Simeon and put chains on him before their eyes.
25Then Joseph gave orders for their bags to be made full of grain, and for every man's money to be put back into his bag, and for food to be given them for the journey: which was done.
26Then they put the bags of grain on their asses and went away.
27Now at their night's resting-place one of them, opening his bag to give his ass some food, saw his money in the mouth of the bag.
28And he said to his brothers, My money has been given back: it is in my bag; then their hearts became full of fear, and turning to one another they said, What is this which God has done to us?
29So when they came to Jacob their father, in the land of Canaan, they gave him an account of all their experiences, saying,
30The man who is the ruler of the country was rough with us and put us in prison, saying that we had come with a secret evil purpose.
31And we said to him, We are true men, we have no evil designs;
32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is dead, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.
33And the ruler of the land said, In this way I may be certain that you are true men; let one of you be kept here with me, while you go and take grain for the needs of your families;
34And come back to me with your youngest brother: then I will be certain that you are true men, and I will give your brother back to you and let you do trade in the land.
35And when they took the grain out of their bags, it was seen that every man's parcel of money was in his bag; and when they and their father saw the money, they were full of fear.
36And Jacob their father said to them, You have taken my children from me: Joseph is gone and Simeon is gone, and now you would take Benjamin away; all these things have come on me.
37And Reuben said, Put my two sons to death if I do not come back to you with him; let him be in my care and I will give him safely back to you.
38And he said, I will not let my son go down with you; for his brother is dead and he is all I have: if evil overtakes him on the journey, then through you will my grey head go down to the underworld in sorrow.
Reina-Valera 1909
1Y VIENDO Jacob que en Egipto había alimentos, dijo á sus hijos: ¿Por qué os estáis mirando?
2Y dijo: He aquí, yo he oído que hay víveres en Egipto; descended allá, y comprad de allí para nosotros, para que podamos vivir, y no nos muramos.
3Y descendieron los diez hermanos de José á comprar trigo á Egipto.
4Mas Jacob no envió á Benjamín hermano de José con sus hermanos; porque dijo: No sea acaso que le acontezca algún desastre.
5Y vinieron los hijos de Israel á comprar entre los que venían: porque había hambre en la tierra de Canaán.
6Y José era el señor de la tierra, que vendía á todo el pueblo de la tierra: y llegaron los hermanos de José, é inclináronse á él rostro por tierra.
7Y José como vió á sus hermanos, conociólos; mas hizo que no los conocía, y hablóles ásperamente, y les dijo: ¿De dónde habéis venido? Ellos respondieron: De la tierra de Canaán á comprar alimentos.
8José, pues, conoció á sus hermanos; pero ellos no le conocieron.
9Entonces se acordó José de los sueños que había tenido de ellos, y díjoles: Espías sois; por ver lo descubierto del país habéis venido.
10Y ellos le respondieron: No, señor mío: mas tus siervos han venido á comprar alimentos.
11Todos nosotros somos hijos de un varón: somos hombres de verdad: tus siervos nunca fueron espías.
12Y él les dijo: No; á ver lo descubierto del país habéis venido.
13Y ellos respondieron: Tus siervos somos doce hermanos, hijos de un varón en la tierra de Canaán; y he aquí el menor está hoy con nuestro padre, y otro no parece.
14Y José les dijo: Eso es lo que os he dicho, afirmando que sois espías:
15En esto seréis probados: Vive Faraón que no saldréis de aquí, sino cuando vuestro hermano menor aquí viniere.
16Enviad uno de vosotros, y traiga á vuestro hermano; y vosotros quedad presos, y vuestras palabras serán probadas, si hay verdad con vosotros: y si no, vive Faraón, que sois espías.
17Y juntólos en la cárcel por tres días.
18Y al tercer día díjoles José: Haced esto, y vivid: Yo temo á Dios:
19Si sois hombres de verdad, quede preso en la casa de vuestra cárcel uno de vuestros hermanos; y vosotros id, llevad el alimento para el hambre de vuestra casa:
20Pero habéis de traerme á vuestro hermano menor, y serán verificadas vuestras palabras, y no moriréis. Y ellos lo hicieron así.
21Y decían el uno al otro: Verdaderamente hemos pecado contra nuestro hermano, que vimos la angustia de su alma cuando nos rogaba, y no le oímos: por eso ha venido sobre nosotros esta angustia.
22Entonces Rubén les respondió, diciendo: ¿No os hablé yo y dije: No pequéis contra el mozo; y no escuchasteis? He aquí también su sangre es requerida.
23Y ellos no sabían que los entendía José, porque había intérprete entre ellos.
24Y apartóse él de ellos, y lloró: después volvió á ellos, y les habló, y tomó de entre ellos á Simeón, y aprisionóle á vista de ellos.
25Y mandó José que llenaran sus sacos de trigo, y devolviesen el dinero de cada uno de ellos, poniéndolo en su saco, y les diesen comida para el camino: é hízose así con ellos.
26Y ellos pusieron su trigo sobre sus asnos, y fuéronse de allí.
27Y abriendo uno de ellos su saco para dar de comer á su asno en el mesón, vió su dinero que estaba en la boca de su costal.
28Y dijo á sus hermanos: Mi dinero se me ha devuelto, y aun helo aquí en mi saco. Sobresaltóseles entonces el corazón, y espantados dijeron el uno al otro: ¿Qué es esto que nos ha hecho Dios?
29Y venidos á Jacob su padre en tierra de Canaán, contáronle todo lo que les había acaecido, diciendo:
30Aquel varón, señor de la tierra, nos habló ásperamente, y nos trató como á espías de la tierra:
31Y nosotros le dijimos: Somos hombres de verdad, nunca fuimos espías:
32Somos doce hermanos, hijos de nuestro padre; uno no parece, y el menor está hoy con nuestro padre en la tierra de Canaán.
33Y aquel varón, señor de la tierra, nos dijo: En esto conoceré que sois hombres de verdad; dejad conmigo uno de vuestros hermanos, y tomad para el hambre de vuestras casas, y andad,
34Y traedme á vuestro hermano el menor, para que yo sepa que no sois espías, sino hombres de verdad: así os daré á vuestro hermano, y negociaréis en la tierra.
35Y aconteció que vaciando ellos sus sacos, he aquí que en el saco de cada uno estaba el atado de su dinero: y viendo ellos y su padre los atados de su dinero, tuvieron temor.
36Entonces su padre Jacob les dijo: Habéisme privado de mis hijos; José no parece, ni Simeón tampoco, y á Benjamín le llevaréis: contra mí son todas estas cosas.
37Y Rubén habló á su padre, diciendo: Harás morir á mis dos hijos, si no te lo volviere; entrégalo en mi mano, que yo lo volveré á ti.
38Y él dijo: No descenderá mi hijo con vosotros; que su hermano es muerto, y él solo ha quedado: y si le aconteciere algún desastre en el camino por donde vais, haréis descender mis canas con dolor á la sepultura.
King James Version
1Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
2And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
3And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
4But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
5And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
7And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
8And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
10And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
11We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
12And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
13And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
14And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
15Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
16Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
17And he put them all together into ward three days.
18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
19If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
20But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
21And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
22And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
23And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
24And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
25Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
26And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
27And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.
28And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
29And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
30The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
31And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
32We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
33And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
34And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.
35And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
36And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
37And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
38And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
World English Bible
1Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”
2He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.”
3Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
4But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.”
5The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.
7Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
8Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him.
9Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.”
10They said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.
11We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”
12He said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land!”
13They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is today with our father, and one is no more.”
14Joseph said to them, “It is like I told you, saying, ‘You are spies!’
15By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here.
16Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.”
17He put them all together into custody for three days.
18Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God.
19If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.
20Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.” They did so.
21They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn’t listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”
22Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and you wouldn’t listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.”
23They didn’t know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.
24He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
25Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain, and to restore each man’s money into his sack, and to give them food for the way. So it was done to them.
26They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.
27As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.
28He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
29They came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying,
30“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.
31We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are no spies.
32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of Canaan.’
33The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way.
34Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”
35As they emptied their sacks, behold, each man’s bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.
36Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”
37Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I don’t bring him to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him to you again.”
38He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”