Chapter 43

¹ But the famine prevailed in the land. ² And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food. ³ And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you. ⁴ If, then, thou send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy thee food; ⁵ but if thou send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you. ⁶ And Israel said, Why did ye harm me, inasmuch as ye told the man that ye had a brother? ⁷ And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have ye a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother? ⁸ And Judah said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and thou, and our store. ⁹ And I engage for him; at my hand do thou require him; if I bring him not to thee, and place him before thee, I shall be guilty toward thee forever. ¹⁰ For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice. ¹¹ And Israel, their father, said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of gum and honey, and frankincense, and stacte, and turpentine, and walnuts. ¹² And take double money in your hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest peradventure it is a mistake. ¹³ And take your brother; and arise, go down to the man. ¹⁴ And my God give you favor in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly as I have been bereaved, am bereaved.

ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ δὲ ἡνίκα συνετέλεσαν καταφαγεῖν τὸν σῖτον, ὃν ἤνεγκαν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν· πάλιν πορευθέντες πρίασθε ἡμῖν μικρὰ βρώματα. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ Ἰούδας λέγων· διαμαρτυρίᾳ μεμαρτύρηται ἡμῖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ κύριος τῆς γῆς λέγων· οὐκ ὄψεσθε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ᾖ· εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀποστέλλῃς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, καταβησόμεθα, καὶ ἀγοράσομέν σοι βρώματα. εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποστέλλῃς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, οὐ πορευσόμεθα. ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος εἶπεν ἡμῖν, λέγων· οὐκ ὄψεσθέ μου τὸ πρόσωπον, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ᾖ. εἶπε δὲ Ἰσραήλ· τί ἐκακοποιήσατέ με, ἀναγγείλαντες τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὅτι ἐστὶν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· ἐρωτῶν ἐπηρώτησεν ἡμᾶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ τὴν γενεὰν ἡμῶν λέγων· εἰ ἔτι ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ζῇ καὶ εἰ ἔστιν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός; καὶ ἀπηγγείλαμεν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἐπερώτησιν ταύτην. μὴ ᾔδειμεν ὅτι ἐρεῖ ἡμῖν· ἀγάγετε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν; εἶπε δὲ Ἰούδας πρὸς Ἰσραὴλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· ἀπόστειλον τὸ παιδάριον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἀναστάντες πορευσόμεθα, ἵνα ζῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ σὺ καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ ἡμῶν. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκδέχομαι αὐτόν, ἐκ χειρός μου ζήτησον αὐτόν· ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγω αὐτὸν πρὸς σὲ καὶ στήσω αὐτὸν ἐναντίον σου, ἡμαρτηκὼς ἔσομαι εἰς σὲ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας. εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐβραδύναμεν, ἤδη ἂν ὑπεστρέψαμεν δίς. εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς Ἰσραὴλ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν· εἰ οὕτως ἐστί, τοῦτο ποιήσατε· λάβετε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις ὑμῶν καὶ καταγάγετε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ δῶρα τῆς ρητίνης καὶ τοῦ μέλιτος, θυμίαμά τε καὶ στακτὴν καὶ τερέβινθον καὶ κάρυα. καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον δισσὸν λάβετε ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν· καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν ἀποστρέψατε μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν· μή ποτε ἀγνόημά ἐστι. καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν λάβετε καὶ ἀναστάντες κατάβητε πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ὁ δὲ Θεός μου δῴη ὑμῖν χάριν ἐναντίον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ἀποστείλαι τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν τὸν ἕνα καὶ τὸν Βενιαμίν· ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ καθάπερ ἠτέκνωμαι, ἠτέκνωμαι. Λαβόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τὰ δῶρα ταῦτα καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον διπλοῦν ἔλαβον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν Βενιαμὶν καὶ ἀναστάντες κατέβησαν εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἔστησαν ἐναντίον Ἰωσήφ.

¹⁵ And the men having taken these presents, and the double money, took in their hands also Benjamin; and they rose up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. ¹⁶ And Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and slay beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon. ¹⁷ And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph. ¹⁸ And the men, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to inform against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our asses. ¹⁹ And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house, ²⁰ saying, We pray [thee], Sir; we came down at first to buy food. ²¹ And it came to pass, when we came to unlade, and opened our sacks, [there was] also this money of each in his sack; we have now brought back our money by weight in our hands. ²² And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into our sacks. ²³ And he said to them, [God deal] mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and I have enough of your good money. And he brought Simeon out to them. ²⁴ And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses. ²⁵ And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine there. ²⁶ And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face to the ground. ²⁷ And he asked them, How are ye? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom ye spoke, well? Does he yet live? ²⁸ And they said, Thy servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God—and they bowed, and did him reverence. ²⁹ And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom ye spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on thee, my son. ³⁰ And Joseph was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.

εἶδε δὲ Ἰωσὴφ αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸν Βενιαμὶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμομήτριον καὶ εἶπε τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ· εἰσάγαγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ σφάξον θύματα καὶ ἑτοίμασον· μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ γὰρ φάγονται οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἄρτους τὴν μεσημβρίαν. ἐποίησε δὲ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καθὰ εἶπεν Ἰωσήφ, καὶ εἰσήγαγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ἰωσήφ. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες ὅτι εἰσήχθησαν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, εἶπαν· διὰ τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ἡμῶν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἡμεῖς εἰσαγόμεθα τοῦ συκοφαντῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐπιθέσθαι ἡμῖν τοῦ λαβεῖν ἡμᾶς εἰς παῖδας καὶ τοὺς ὄνους ἡμῶν. προσελθόντες δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἐλάλησαν αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ πυλῶνι τοῦ οἴκου λέγοντες· δεόμεθα, κύριε, κατέβημεν τὴν ἀρχὴν πρίασθαι βρώματα· ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἤλθομεν εἰς τὸ καταλῦσαι καὶ ἠνοίξαμεν τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν, καὶ τόδε τὸ ἀργύριον ἑκάστου ἐν τῷ μαρσίππῳ αὐτοῦ· τὸ ἀργύριον ἡμῶν ἐν σταθμῷ ἀπεστρέψαμεν νῦν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἡμῶν καὶ ἀργύριον ἕτερον ἠνέγκαμεν μεθ᾿ ἑαυτῶν ἀγοράσαι βρώματα· οὐκ οἴδαμεν, τίς ἐνέβαλε τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς· ἵλεως ὑμῖν, μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν, καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον ὑμῶν εὐδοκιμοῦν ἀπέχω. καὶ ἐξήγαγε πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸν Συμεὼν καὶ ἤνεγκεν ὕδωρ νίψαι τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν καὶ ἔδωκε χορτάσματα τοῖς ὄνοις αὐτῶν. ἡτοίμασαν δὲ τὰ δῶρα ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ μεσημβρίας· ἤκουσαν γὰρ ὅτι ἐκεῖ μέλλει ἀριστᾶν. Εἰσῆλθε δὲ Ἰωσὴφ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ τὰ δῶρα, ἃ εἶχον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν, εἰς τὸν οἶκον καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. ἠρώτησε δὲ αὐτούς, πῶς ἔχετε; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· εἰ ὑγιαίνει ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ πρεσβύτης, ὃν εἴπατε; ἔτι ζῇ; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· ὑγιαίνει ὁ παῖς σου ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν, ἔτι ζῇ· καὶ εἶπεν· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος τῷ Θεῷ. καὶ κύψαντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ. ἀναβλέψας δὲ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ Ἰωσὴφ εἶδε Βενιαμὶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμομήτριον καὶ εἶπεν· οὗτος ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος, ὃν εἴπατε πρός με ἀγαγεῖν; καὶ εἶπεν· ὁ Θεὸς ἐλεήσαι σε τέκνον. ἐταράχθη δὲ Ἰωσήφ, συνεστρέφετο γὰρ τὰ ἔγκατα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐζήτει κλαῦσαι· εἰσελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον ἔκλαυσεν ἐκεῖ. καὶ νιψάμενος τὸ πρόσωπον ἐξελθὼν ἐνεκρατεύσατο καὶ εἶπε· παράθετε ἄρτους.

³¹ And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. ³² And they set on [bread] for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination to the Egyptians. ³³ And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother. ³⁴ And they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as the portions of [the others]. And they drank and were filled with drink with him.

καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτοῖς καθ᾿ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τοῖς συνδειπνοῦσι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καθ᾿ ἑαυτούς· οὐ γὰρ ἐδύναντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι συνεσθίειν μετὰ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἄρτους, βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστι τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις. ἐκάθισαν δὲ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, ὁ πρωτότοκος κατὰ τὰ πρεσβεῖα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ νεώτερος κατὰ τὴν νεότητα αὐτοῦ· ἐξίσταντο δὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ. ᾖραν δὲ μερίδας παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτούς· ἐμεγαλύνθη δὲ ἡ μερὶς Βενιαμὶν παρὰ τὰς μερίδας πάντων πενταπλασίως πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων, ἔπιον δὲ καὶ ἐμεθύσθησαν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.