Genesis 42:18-28

On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do as I say and you will live. I am a man who respects God. If you are as honest as you say you are, then I will keep just one of your brothers here in confinement while the rest of you carry grain home for your starving families. You must return with your youngest brother so that I may verify your story, and that you may not die.” So they agreed to do so. With Joseph standing there, they began to speak among themselves, saying, “Look what’s happened to us! We’re being punished for what we did to Joseph long ago. We heard his cries of anguish and saw the agony of his soul when he begged us for mercy, but we turned a deaf ear. That’s why all this trouble has come upon us!” Then Reuben spoke up, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! So now we’re paying the price for his murder!” They had no clue that Joseph understood every word, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter. Deeply affected by what he heard, Joseph began to weep and hurriedly left their presence. After he had composed himself, he returned to them, and pointing to Simeon, said, “This one will remain here.” Then he had him tied and bound while they all watched. Joseph then gave orders to have their bags filled with grain, to hide each man’s money back inside his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey home. After this was done for them, they loaded their donkeys with the bags of grain and departed. Later, they camped for the night, and as one of them opened his sack of grain to feed his donkey, he discovered that his money was there right on top of the grain! He shouted to his brothers, “My money! Look, someone put my money back in my sack!” Troubled and trembling, they said to each other, “What in the world has God done to us?”

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