GENESIS 43:15-23, NIrV

15 So the men took the gifts. They took twice the amount of money. They also took Benjamin. They hurried down to Egypt and went to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he spoke to the manager of his house. “Take these men to my house,” he said. “Kill an animal and prepare a meal. I want them to eat with me at noon.”

17 The manager did what Joseph told him to do. He took the men to Joseph’s house. 18 They were frightened when they were taken to Joseph’s house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the money that was put back in our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us. Then he can hold us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

19 So they went up to Joseph’s manager. They spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 “Please, sir,” they said. “We came down here the first time to buy food. 21We opened our sacks at the place where we stopped for the night. Each of us found in our sacks the exact amount of the money we had paid. So we’ve brought it back with us. 22 We’ve also brought more money with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”

23 “It’s all right,” the manager said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you riches in your sacks. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

GENESIS 43:26-34, NIrV

26 When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought into the house. They bowed down low in front of him. 27 He asked them how they were. Then he said, “How is your old father you told me about? Is he still living?”

28 They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down to show him honor.

29 Joseph looked around. Then he saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son. He asked, “Is this your youngest brother? Is he the one you told me about?” He continued, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 It moved him deeply to see his brother. So Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to cry. He went into his own room and cried there.

31 Then he washed his face and came out. He calmed down and said, “Serve the food.”

32 They served Joseph by himself. They served the brothers by themselves. They also served the Egyptians who ate with Joseph by themselves. Because of their beliefs, Egyptians couldn’t eat with Hebrews. 33 The brothers had been given places in front of Joseph. They had been seated in the order of their ages, from the oldest to the youngest. That made them look at each other in great surprise. 34 While they were eating, some food was brought to them from Joseph’s table. Benjamin was given five times as much as anyone else. So all Joseph’s brothers ate and drank a lot with him.

GENESIS 44:1-9, NIrV

1 Joseph told the manager of his house what to do. “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry,” he said. “Put each man’s money in his sack. 2 Then put my silver cup in the youngest one’s sack. Put it there along with the money he paid for his grain.” So the manager did what Joseph told him to do.

3 When morning came, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They hadn’t gone very far from the city when Joseph spoke to his manager. “Go after those men right away,” he said. “Catch up with them. Say to them, ‘My master was good to you. Why have you paid him back by doing evil? 5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from? Doesn’t he also use it to find things out? You have done an evil thing.’ ”

6 When the manager caught up with them, he told them what Joseph had said. 7 But they said to him, “Why do you say these things? We would never do anything like that! 8 We even brought back to you from Canaan the money we found in our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If you find out that any of us has the cup, he will die. And the rest of us will become your slaves.”

GENESIS 44:10-17, NIRV

10 “All right, then,” he said. “As you wish. The one found to have the cup will become my slave. But the rest of you will not be blamed.”

11 Each of them quickly put his sack down on the ground and opened it. 12 Then the manager started to search. He began with the oldest and ended with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 When that happened, they were so upset they tore their clothes. Then all of them loaded their donkeys and went back to the city.

14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in. They threw themselves down on the ground in front of him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What have you done? Don’t you know that a man like me has ways to find things out?”

16 “What can we say to you?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove we haven’t done anything wrong? God has shown you that we are guilty. We are now your slaves. All of us are, including the one found to have the cup.”

17 But Joseph said, “I would never do anything like that! Only the man found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you may go back to your father in peace.”

GENESIS 44:18-23, 30-34, NIRV

18 Then Judah went up to him. He said, “Please, sir. Let me speak a word to you. Don’t be angry with me, even though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 You asked us, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 We answered, ‘We have an old father. A young son was born to him when he was old. His brother is dead. He’s the only one of his mother’s sons left. And his father loves him.’

21“Then you said to us, ‘Bring him down to me. I want to see him for myself.’ 22 We said to you, ‘The boy can’t leave his father. If he does, his father will die.’ 23 But you told us, ‘Your youngest brother must come down here with you. If he doesn’t, you won’t see my face again.’ 

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30 “So now, what will happen if the boy isn’t with us when I go back to my father? His life depends on the boy’s life. 31 When he sees that the boy isn’t with us, he’ll die. Because of us, he’ll go down into the grave as a sad old man. 32 I promised my father I would keep the boy safe. I said, ‘Father, I’ll bring him back to you. If I don’t, you can put the blame on me for the rest of my life.’

33 “Now then, please let me stay here. Let me be your slave in place of the boy. Let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy isn’t with me? No! Don’t let me see the pain and suffering that would come to my father.”

GENESIS 45:1-11, NIRV

1 Joseph couldn’t control himself anymore in front of all his attendants. He cried out, “Have everyone leave me!” So there wasn’t anyone with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was. 2 He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. Everyone in Pharaoh’s house heard about it.

3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers weren’t able to answer him. They were too afraid of him.

4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” So they did. Then he said, “I am your brother Joseph. I’m the one you sold into Egypt. 5 But don’t be upset. And don’t be angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me ahead of you to save many lives. 6 For two years now, there hasn’t been enough food in the land. And for the next five years, people won’t be plowing or gathering crops. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to keep some of you alive on earth. He sent me here to save your lives by an act of mighty power.

8 “So then, it wasn’t you who sent me here. It was God. He made me like a father to Pharaoh. He made me master of Pharaoh’s entire house. God made me ruler of the whole land of Egypt. 9 Now hurry back to my father. Say to him, ‘Your son Joseph says, “God has made me master of the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t waste any time. 10 You will live in the area of Goshen. You, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you have will be near me. 11 There I will provide everything you need. There are still five years to come when there won’t be enough food. If you don’t come down here, you and your family and everyone who belongs to you will lose everything.” ’