FLOGVIT
.bible

Första MosebokenKapitel 43

Detta kapitel finns ännu inte på svenska — visar originaltexten.

+ SekundärtextGrundtext← FöregåendeNästa →Bidra
The famine lay heavy on the land.
When they had eaten up the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little food."
But Judah answered him, "The man warned us solemnly, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
But if you will not send him, we will not go, because the man told us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
Israel said, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?"
They answered, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family: 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How could we possibly know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"
Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me, and let us set out and go, so that we may live and not die—we, you, and our children as well.
I will be surety for him; hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, let the guilt be mine forever.
If we had not delayed so long, we could have gone and come back twice by now."
So their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the finest products of the land in your bags and carry them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, gum and resin, pistachio nuts and almonds.
Take double the silver with you, and take back the silver that was returned in the mouths of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.
Take your brother as well, and go back to the man.
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, so that he releases your other brother and Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved."
So the men took the gift, and they took double the silver with them, and Benjamin, and they set out and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring these men into the house. Slaughter an animal and make it ready, for they are to eat with me at noon."
The man did as Joseph said and brought them into Joseph's house.
The men were afraid when they were taken into Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the silver that was put back in our sacks the first time. He has brought us here to fall on us and overpower us, to take us as slaves along with our donkeys."
So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house and spoke to him at the entrance of the house.
"Please, sir," they said, "we came down here the first time to buy food.
But when we reached the place where we spent the night and opened our sacks, there was each man's silver in the mouth of his sack—our silver, full weight. Now we have brought it back with us.
We have also brought more silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks."
He replied, "Peace to you. Do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; your silver reached me." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
The steward brought the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided fodder for their donkeys.
They got their gift ready for Joseph's arrival at noon, since they had heard that they were to eat there.
When Joseph came into the house, they presented him with the gift they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
He asked how they were, and then he said, "Is your aged father well, the one you told me about? Is he still alive?"
They answered, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." And they bowed low and prostrated themselves.
Then he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, and he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
Joseph hurried out, for he was deeply moved at the sight of his brother and was about to weep. He went into a private room and wept there.
Then he washed his face and came out. Controlling himself, he said, "Serve the food."
They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, for Egyptians cannot eat a meal with Hebrews; that is detestable to the Egyptians.
They were seated before him in order of age, from the firstborn down to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
Portions were carried to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was five times larger than anyone else's. So they drank and grew merry with him.
←→