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לָאֵיש הַעוֹד לָכֶם אָח : 7 וַיֹּאמְרוּ שָׁאוֹל שָׁאַל־הָאִישׁ לָנוּ וּלְמְוֹלַדְתֵּנוּ לֵאמֹר הַעוֹד אֲבִיכֶם חַי הֲיֵשׁ לָכֶס אָח ונֹגֶד־לוֹ עַל־פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה הֵיִדְרַע מֵדע כִּי יֹאמַר הוֹרִידוּ אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם: 8 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה אֶל־־יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִיו שֶׁלְחָה הַנַּעַר אִתִּי וְנָקוּמָה וְנִלְכָה וְנִחְיֶה וְלֹא נָמוּת גַּם־אֲנַחְנוּ גַם־אַתָּה גַם־טַעֲנוּ : 9 אֱנֹכִי אֶעֶרְבֵנוּ מִיָּדִי תְּבַקְשֶׁנּוּ אִם־לֹא הֵבִיאֹתִי אֵלֶיךָ וְהִנַּנְתִּיו לְפָנֶיךָ וּ וְחָטָאתִי לְךָ כָּל־הַיָּמִים : 10 כִּי לוּלֵא הִתְמַהְמָהְנוּ כִּי־עַתָּה שַׁבְנוּ זֶה־פַּעֲמָיִם : 11 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיהֶם אִם־־כֵּן אֵפוֹא זְאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ מִזְמְרָת הָאָרֶץ בִּכְלֵיכֶם וְהוֹרִידוּ לָאִישׁ מִנְחָה מְעַט צָרִי וּמְעַט דְּבַשׁ נְכְאת וָלֹט בָּטְנִים וּשְׁקֵדִים: 12 וְכֶסֶף מִשְׁנֶה קְחוּ : בְּיֶדְכֶם וְאֶת־הַכָּסֶף הַמוֹשַׁב בְּפִי אַמְתְּחָתֵיכֶם תָּשִׁיבוּ : בְיֶדְכֶם אוּלַי מִשְׁנֶה הוּא: 13 וְאֶת־אֲחִיכֶם קְחוּ וְקִוּמוּ שוּבוּ אֶל־הָאִיש : 14 וְאֶל שָׁדַי יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ וְשִׁלַּח לָכֶם אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם אַחֵר וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִין וַאֲנִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁכַלְתִּי שָׁכָלְתִּי: 15 וַיִּקְחוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֶת־

הַמִּנְחָה הַזֹּאת וּמִשְׁנֶה־כֶּסֶף לָקְחוּ בְיָדֶם וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִן ששי וַיָּקָמוּ וַיִּרְדִוּ מִצְרַיִם וַיַּעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי יוֹסֵף : 16 וַיַּרְא יוֹסֶף

אִתָּשׂ אֶת־בִּנְיָמִין וַיֹּאמֶר לַאֲשֶׁר עַל־בֵּיתוֹ הָבֵא אֶת־ הָאֲנָשִׁים הַבָּיְתָה וּטְבָחַ טֶבַח וְהָכֵן כִּי אִתִּי וְאכְלָוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים בַּצָחֲרָיִם: 17 וַיַּעַשׂ הָאִישׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר יוֹסֵף וַיָּבֵא הָאִישׁ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁים בֵּיתָה יֹסֶף : 18 וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים כִּי הִוּבְאוּ בֵּית יוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמְרוּ עַל־דְּבַר הַכָּסֶף הַשָׁב בְּאַמְתּוֹתֵינוּ בַּתְּחִלָּה אֲנַחְנוּ מוּבָאִים לְהִתְגְלֵל עָלֵינוּ וּלְהִתְנַפֶל עָלֵינוּ וְלָקְחַת אֹתָנוּ לֶעֲבָדִים וְאֶת־ חֲמֹרֵינוּ: 19 וַיִּגְשׁוּ אֶל־הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר עַל־בֵּית יוֹסֵף וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו

פֶּתַח הַבָּיִת: 20 וַיֹּאמְרוּ בִּי אֲדֹנָי יָרַד יָרָדְנוּ . בַּתְּחִלָּה לִשְׁבָּר־אֹכֶל : 21 וַיְהִי כִּי־־בָאנוּ אֶל־הַמָלון

19:

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?

29 ¶ And they came unto Jacob their father, unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befel unto them, saying,

30 The man who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies.

32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father: one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 And the man the lord of the

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.

34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall 1 know that you are no spies, but that you are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.

35 ¶ And 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. *

36 And 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.

37 And 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.

38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone; if mischief befal him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave.

CHAP. XLIII.

1 Jacob is hardly persuaded to send Benjamin. 16 Joseph entertaineth his brethren. 31 He maketh them a feast.

AND the famine was sore in the

land.

2 And it came to pass when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest ‡ unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food.

5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with

you.

6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell

*Their fear returned upon them with redoubled violence; for when the one found it they thought it might be an accident, but when they found it in all, they judged it to be a premeditated thing to involve them in trouble.

In chap. xlvi. ver. 9. we read that Reuben had four sons, and these are said to have come with Jacob into Egypt. They must then have been born in the interval between this colloquy and Jacob's migration or we must understand the words "went down with Jacob," in chap. xlvi. ver. 9, 26, to be spoken proleptically.

Heb. Protesting he protested.

It may perhaps appear strange, that after Reuben's offer for the security of Benjamin and Jacob's refusal, Judah should again renew the requisition for the sending of their brother: but this may be easily reconciled, when it is considered, that when Reuben made the offer, they had yet plenty of food; but when Judah proposed it, they were destitute of corn: (see verse 2.) and therefore Judah urges the necessity of sending him, rather than that they should all perish.

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בְאַמְתַּחְתִּי וַיצא לִבָּסְ וַיְחֶרְדוּ אִישׁ אֶל-אָחִיו לֵאמר מַה־־זָאת עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לָנוּ : 29 וַיְבָאוּ אֶל־יעקב אֲבִיהֶם אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן וַיַגִידוּ לוֹ אֵת כָּל־הַקרֹת אֹתָם לֵאמֹר : 30 דִּבֶּר הָאִישׁ אֲדֹנֵי הָאָרֶץ אִתָּנוּ קָשׁוֹת וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָנוּ כִּמְרַגְלִים אֶת־הָאָרֶץ :

31 וַנְאמֶר אֵלָיו בֶּנִים אֲנַחְנוּ לֹא הָיִינוּ מְרַגְלִים: 32 שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲנַחְנוּ אַחִים בְּנֵי אָבִינוּ הָאֶחָד אֵינֶנּוּ וְהַקָטָן הַיָּם אֵתי אָבִינוּ בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן : 33 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֵינוּ הָאִישׁ אֲדֹנִי הָאָרֶץ בְּזֹאת אֵדַע כִּי בָנִים אַתֶּם אֲחִיכֶרֶם הָאֶחָד הַנִיחוּ אִתִּי וְאֶת־רֵעֵבוֹן בְּתֵיכֶם קְחוּ וְלֵכוּ: 34 וְהָבִיאוּ אֶת־ אֲחִיכֶם הַקָטן אֵלַי וְאֵדְעָה כִּי לֹא מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם כִּי כנִים אַתֶּם אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם אֶתֵּן לָכֶם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ תִּסְחָרוּ : 35 וַיְהִי הֵם מְרִיקִים שָׂקֵיהֶם וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ צְרְוֹר־כַּסְפּוֹ בְּשַׁקְוֹ וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת־צְרֹרְוֹת כַּסְפִּיהֶם הֵמָּה וַאֲבִיהֶם וַיִּירָאוּ: 36 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם אֹתִי שִׁכַּלְתֶּם יוֹסֵף אֵינֶנּוּ וְשִׁמְעוֹן אֵינֶנּוּ וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִן תִּקְחוּ עָלַי הָיוּ כְלָּנָה : 37 וַיֹּאמֶר רְאוּבֵן אֶל־אָבִיו לֵאמֹר אֶת־שְׁנֵי בָנַי תָּמִית אִם־לֹא אֲבִיאֵנוּ אֵלַיִךְ תְּנָה אֹתוֹ עַל־יָדִי וַאֲנִי אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךְ : 38 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא-יֵרֶד בְּנֵי עַמָּכֶם כִּי־אָחִיו מֵת

וְהוּא לְבַדּוֹ נִשְׁאָר וּקְרָאָהוּ אָסוֹן בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכוּ־ מג בָהּ וְהִוֹרַדְתֶּם אֶת־שֵׁיבָתִי בְּיָגוֹן שְׁאוֹלָה : וְהָרעב

כָּבֵד בָּאָרֶץ : 2 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ לֶאֱכָל אֶת־הַשֶׁבֶר אֲשֶׁר הֵבִיאוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם אֲבִיהֶם שָׁבוּ שִׁבְרוּ־לָנוּ מְעַט־אֹכֶל : 3 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר הָעד הֵעֶר בָּנוּ הָאִישׁ לֵאמר לא-תִרְאוּ פָנַי בִּלְתִּי אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶם :4 אִם-יֶשְׁךָ מְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת־אָחִינוּ אִתָּנוּ נִרְדָה וְנִשְׁבְּרָה לְךְ אֲכֶל : 5 וְאִם־־אֵינְךְ מְשַׁלֵּחַ לֹא נרד כִּי־הָאִישׁ אָמַר אֵלֵינוּ לֹא־תִרְאוּ פָנַי בִּלְתִּי אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶם: 6 וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמָה הֲרֵעתֶּם לִי לְהַגִּיד

:

6

Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We are all one man's sons:

we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land you are come.

13 And 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.

14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies.

*

15 Hereby ye shall be proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16 Send 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.

17 And he put them altogether into ward three days.

18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live: for I fear God. ||

19 If 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.

20 But bring your youngest brother unto me: so shall your words be verified, and ye shall

not die. And they did so.

21 ¶ And 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.

22 And 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. §§

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. ‡‡

24 And 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.

25 Then 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.

26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

27 And 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.

28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored and lo, it

* By this one thing the whole of what ye have advanced shall be proved; that is, if ye bring your brother hither, I then will give credit to what ye have said in your defence.

Heb. Bound.

Heb. Gathered.

For says he, I would not be so unjust as to detain you all if ye be innocent, by which means your families might perish for want of food; therefore let one be bound, and the rest carry the corn, and bring your brother.

There is an omission here of the words, but as for you, and which seems to me to be an oversight in the English Bible.

**This was an aggravation of their guilt by acting so inhuman to their own brother in his distress. For it was Reuben's opinion that Joseph was dead, as he apprehended that on account of his years, and the tender manner he was brought up, he never would be able to undergo the hardships of servitude; and therefore, says he, his blood is now required.

#Heb. For an interpreter was between them.

The reason assigned by Jarchi for his taking of Simeon is, that it was he that threw him into the pit; though others think it to be in order to separate him from Levi, for fear of their plotting some mischief against him as they did at Shechem.

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