Genesis 43:1-16

Now the famine in the land continued to grow more severe. When all the grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us more food.” But Judah objected, “The Egyptian warned us repeatedly, ‘You will not see my face again, unless Benjamin is with you!’ We’ll only go if you’ll let our brother come with us. If you insist he remains here, we won’t go, for the man solemnly told us, ‘You will not see my face again, unless your brother is with you!’ ” Israel demanded, “Why did you make it so hard for me by telling the man you had another brother?” They answered him, “The man interrogated us about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still living? Do you have another brother?’ We had to answer his questions! We had no idea he would say, ‘You must bring your brother here to me.’ ” Then Judah spoke up and said to Israel, “Father, I promise to guarantee his safety with my life. You can hold me personally responsible if I don’t return with him. I’ll bear the blame before you for the rest of my life if I fail to bring him safely back to you! You have my promise. Entrust him to my care, and let us be on our way, so that we all don’t die of starvation—we and you and all our children—we will live and not die! And besides, if we hadn’t delayed so long, we could have gone and returned twice by now!” After considering their words, their father Israel said to them, “If that’s the way it has to be, then do this: Load your donkeys with the very best gifts you can find, choice products of the land, and offer them to the man. Take some balm and some honey, spices, and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the money with you. Give him back the money that was returned in the top of your sacks, for it may have been a mistake. Take your brother, too, and be off! Go back to the man at once. May the God who is more than enough grant you mercy and favor before the man, so that he may send back both Simeon and Benjamin. As for me, if I suffer loss, then let it be so.” So the brothers set off for Egypt and took double the money, the many gifts, and Benjamin. Once they arrived, they presented themselves before Joseph. When Joseph saw his brother Benjamin with them, he said to his chief servant, “Bring the men to my house and make them feel at home. Butcher an animal and prepare a meal, for these men are to dine with me at noon.”