Genesis

Benjamin Is Taken to Egypt: Second Encounter

Now the lack of food was severe in the land.

When they had eaten the grain they brought from Egypt, their father said to them: “Go down again and buy us a little food.”

But Judah said to him: “The man solemnly warned us that our brother had to come with us.

If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you;

but if you don’t send him, we will not go, for the man said: You will not be admitted to my presence if your brother is not with you.”

Israel then said: “Why did you bring this misery on me by letting the man know you have another brother?”

They replied: “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kinsfolk, saying: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And so we answered these questions. Could we have known that he would tell us to bring our brother?”

Judah then told Israel, his father: “Send the boy with me. Let us go so that we, you and our children, may live and not die.

I will guarantee his safety. If I do not bring him back and set him here before you, I will bear the blame forever.

If we hadn’t delayed for so long, we could have been there and back twice over.”

Israel, their father, said to them: “If it must be so, then do this: take some choice products of the land in your bags and a gift for the man—some balm, a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

Take double the money with you, and you will repay what was put in your sacks; it may have been a mistake.

Take your brother and return to the man.

May God Almighty grant you mercy in his presence so that he will allow you to bring back your other brother and Benjamin. As for myself, if I am bereaved of my children, then bereaved I shall have to be.”

The men accepted the gift along with the double amount of money. After taking Benjamin, they departed for Egypt and were welcomed into Joseph’s presence.

When Joseph saw that Benjamin was with them, he said to his steward: “Bring these men to my house. Have an animal slaughtered and a meal prepared, for these men will eat with me at noon.”

The steward did as Joseph instructed and brought the men to Joseph’s house.

They were afraid and said to each other: “It’s because of the money that was placed in our sacks the last time that we were brought in. He wants to attack and overpower us, and have us as slaves, and take our donkeys.”

So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the door of the house,

“Oh my lord, we came down here the first time to buy food,

and when we reached a lodging place and opened our sacks, we found in the mouth of the sacks each one’s money to the full weight. We have brought it back with us,

and additional money to buy food. We don’t know who put the money in our sacks.”

The steward said: “Be at peace! Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, put a treasure in your grain sacks. Your money reached me safely.” He then brought Simeon out to them.

The steward led them into Joseph’s house, providing them with water to wash their feet and feed for their donkeys.

They prepared their gift and waited for Joseph’s arrival at noon, as they had heard they were to dine there.

When Joseph entered the house, they offered him the gift they had brought and bowed to the ground before him.

He asked them how they were and said: “Is your father well, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?”

They answered: “Your servant our father is well and is still alive.”

He looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother, and said: “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” He added, “God be good to you, my son!”

Joseph was so profoundly moved at seeing his brother that he wanted to cry; he quickly went out and wept in his own private room.

After washing his face and returning, he composed himself and said: “Serve the meal.”

He was served separately, as were they, and the Egyptians as well, for the Egyptians cannot share a meal with Hebrews; for the Egyptians, this would be shameful.

They were seated opposite him in the order of their ages, from the eldest to the youngest, and they looked at each other in astonishment.

Joseph had portions from his own dish taken to them, and Benjamin’s portion was five times more than the others. So they drank freely with him.