Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
1When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” 2He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”
3Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. 5So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also.
6Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”
8Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”
10“No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food. 11We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”
12“No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”
13But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”
14Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies! 15And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17And he put them all in custody for three days.
18On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. 20But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.
21They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”
22Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” 23They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.
24He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.
25Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, 26they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.
27At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. 28“My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”
Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”
29When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. They said, 30“The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as though we were spying on the land. 31But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. 32We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’
33“Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go. 34But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade42:34 Or move about freely in the land.’ ”
35As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened. 36Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”
37Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.”
38But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.”
Yosef Nuammarima Kɔ Misraim
1Ɛberɛ a Yakob tee sɛ aburoo wɔ Misraim no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ne mmammarima no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na moatete agyinagyina rehwehwɛhwehwɛ mo ho mo ho anim yi?” 2Yakob toaa so sɛ, “Mate sɛ aburoo wɔ Misraim. Monkɔ hɔ, na monkɔtɔ bi mmra na ɛkɔm ankum yɛn.”
3Enti, Yosef nuammarima mpanimfoɔ edu no kɔɔ Misraim sɛ wɔrekɔtɔ aburoo no bi. 4Nanso, Yakob amma Benyamin a ɔyɛ Yosef nua kumaa no ankɔ bi, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔsuro sɛ biribi bɛyɛ no. 5Enti, Israel mmammarima no de wɔn ho bɔɔ atɔfoɔ a wɔfifiri aman ahodoɔ so kɔtɔ aburoo wɔ Misraim no ho, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɛkɔm no atrɛ akɔduru Kanaan asase so mmaa nyinaa.
6Na Yosef yɛ amrado wɔ Misraim asase so. Ɔno na ɔtɔn aburoo ma nnipa nyinaa wɔ ɔman no mu. Yosef nuammarima no kɔduruu nʼanim no, wɔbuu no nkotodwe, de wɔn anim nso butubutuu fam. 7Ɛberɛ a Yosef ani bɔɔ anuanom no so ara pɛ, ɔhunuu sɛ wɔyɛ ne nuanom, nanso ɔyɛɛ ne ho sɛdeɛ ɔnnim wɔn, kasaa anihanehane so kyerɛɛ wɔn. Ɔpoopoo nʼani, bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Mofiri he?”
Anuanom no buaa no sɛ, “Yɛfiri Kanaan asase so, na yɛaba sɛ yɛrebɛtɔ aduane.”
8Ɛwom sɛ na Yosef ahunu wɔn sɛ ne nuanom, nanso ne nuanom no deɛ, na wɔnhunuu sɛ, ɔno ne Yosef. 9Yosef kaee daeɛ a mmerɛ bi ɔso faa wɔn ho no. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moyɛ akwansrafoɔ! Morebɛhwɛ sɛdeɛ ɛkɔm yi ama yɛn asase yi agyigya.”
10Anuanom no teaam sɛ, “Dabi yɛn wura, ɛnte saa. Yɛbaeɛ sɛ yɛrebɛtɔ aduane. 11Yɛn nyinaa firi agya baako. Yɛyɛ nnipa pa, na yɛnyɛ akwansrafoɔ saa.”
12Nanso, Yosef ka tii mu sɛ, “Dabi, morebɛhwɛ sɛdeɛ asase no asi agyigya afa.”
13Anuanom no buaa sɛ, “Yɛn, wʼasomfoɔ, yɛyɛ anuanom dumienu. Yɛyɛ ɔpanin bi a ɔte Kanaan asase so mma. Seesei, yɛn kaakyire no wɔ yɛn agya nkyɛn, ɛnna ɔbaako nso afiri mu.”
14Nanso, Yosef ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Asɛm a meka kyerɛɛ mo sɛ moyɛ akwansrafoɔ no, ɛno ara ne no. 15Ɛkwan a mepɛ sɛ mefa so de sɔ mo hwɛ nie: mmerɛ dodoɔ a Farao te ase yi, meremma mo mfiri Misraim asase so ha nkɔ da, kɔsi sɛ mode mo kaakyire no bɛba. 16Monsoma mo mu baako, na ɔnkɔfa mo kaakyire no mmra. Mede mo a moaka no nyinaa bɛgu afiase. Ɛno na ɛbɛma yɛahunu sɛ, mo asɛm a moreka no yɛ nokorɛ anaa ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Sɛ ɛkɔba sɛ monni nuabarima kumaa a ɔyɛ mo kaakyire a, mmerɛ dodoɔ a Farao te ase yi, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ moyɛ akwansrafoɔ ampa!” 17Enti, ɔde wɔn guu afiase hɔ nnansa.
18Ne nnansa so no, Yosef ka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Meyɛ onyamesuroni. Ɛno enti, merebɛma mo ɛkwan ama moasane mo ho sɛ monyɛ akwansrafoɔ. 19Sɛ moyɛ nokwafoɔ ampa ara a, momma mo nua baako nna afiase ha. Mo a moaka no nso, monkɔtɔ aburoo no bi nkɔma mo fiefoɔ a ɛkɔm rekum wɔn no. 20Nanso, ɛkwan biara so no, momfa mo nua kumaa no mmɛkyerɛ me. Ɛno na ɛbɛma mahunu sɛ, asɛm a moreka no yɛ nokorɛ anaasɛ ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Na sɛ nokorɛ na moreka deɛ a, mɛgyaa mo.” Wɔpenee abisadeɛ a Yosef de too wɔn anim no so.
21Afei, wɔkeka kyerɛkyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Nokorɛm, yɛn nuabarima yi enti na wɔretwe yɛn aso. Yɛhunuu sɛdeɛ wabɔ huboa ne sɛdeɛ ɔsrɛɛ ne nkwa no, nanso yɛantie. Ɛno enti na saa amanehunu yi a aba yɛn so ɛnnɛ yi.”
22Afei, anuanom no mu panin a wɔfrɛ no Ruben no kaa sɛ, “Manka mankyerɛ mo sɛ monnyɛ bɔne biara ntia abarimaa no? Nanso moantie! Afei na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛbu ne mogya ho akonta” 23Esiane sɛ na obi kyerɛ nsɛm a Yosef ka no ase kyerɛ wɔn no enti, na wɔnnim sɛ Yosef te wɔn kasa.
24Yosef sɔre firii wɔn nkyɛn kɔsuiɛ. Ɔsane baeɛ ne wɔn bɛkasaa bio. Ɔyii Simeon firii wɔn mu, ma wɔkyekyeree no wɔ wɔn anim.
25Yosef hyɛɛ sɛ, wɔnhyɛ wɔn nkotokuo no aburoo ma ma, na wɔnsane mfa obiara sika a anka ɔde rebɛtɔ aburoo nhyɛ ne kotokuo mu, na wɔmma wɔn akwansoduane nso nka ho. Wɔyɛɛ yei maa wɔn. 26Wɔhyehyɛɛ wɔn aburoo nkotokuo no wɔ mfunumu no so, siim sɛ wɔrekɔ wɔn kurom.
27Wɔrekɔ no ara, wɔgyinaa ɛkwan so anadwo homeeɛ. Ɛhɔ na wɔn mu baako sanee ne kotokuo ano sɛ ɔrema nʼafunumu aduane adi. Ɔsanee ne kotokuo no ano no, ɔhunuu sɛ ne sika a anka ɔde rekɔtɔ aburoo no hyɛ kotokuo no fa baabi. 28Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Wɔde me sika no asane ahyɛ me kotokuo no mu. Monhwɛ. Ɛno nie!”
Saa asɛm yi maa wɔn akoma tutuiɛ. Enti, wɔhwehwɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho anim kaa sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn anwanwadeɛ na Onyankopɔn ayɛ yɛn yi?”
29Wɔduruu wɔn agya Yakob nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan no, wɔbɔɔ no nsɛm a asisi no nyinaa ho amaneɛ. Wɔkaa sɛ, 30“Yɛduruu Misraim asase so no, ɔbarima a ɔhwɛ asase no so no a ɔyɛ asase no so ɔhene ɔboafoɔ no poopoo nʼani, kasaa anihanehane so kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, yɛyɛ akwansrafoɔ. 31Nanso, yɛbuaa no sɛ, ‘Yɛyɛ nnipa pa, na yɛnyɛ akwansrafoɔ. 32Yɛyɛ anuanom dumienu a yɛfiri agya baako. Ɔbaako afiri mu. Seesei, yɛn kaakyire no wɔ yɛn agya nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan.’
33“Afei, ɔbarima a ɔhwɛ asase no so ka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, ‘Ɛkwan a mepɛ sɛ mefa so de sɔ mo hwɛ nie: Monnya mo nuanom baako wɔ me nkyɛn ha, na monkɔtɔ aburoo no bi nkɔma mo fiefoɔ a ɛkɔm rekum wɔn no. 34Nanso, momfa mo nua kumaa no mmɛkyerɛ me. Ɛno na ɛbɛma mahunu sɛ monyɛ akwansrafoɔ na moyɛ nnipa pa. Na mede mo nua no bɛma mo, na mobɛtumi abɛtɔ aburoo no bi wɔ asase yi so mpɛn dodoɔ biara a mopɛ.’ ”
35Ɛberɛ a wɔrehwiehwie wɔn aburoo no afiri wɔn nkotokuo no mu no, obiara hunuu ne sika a anka ɔde rekɔtua aburoo no ka wɔ ne kotokuo no ano. Wɔne wɔn agya hunuu sika no, wɔn akoma tutuiɛ. 36Ɛyɛɛ saa maa wɔn agya Yakob ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moama mahwere me mma. Yosef nni hɔ; Simeon nso nni hɔ; afei mopɛ sɛ mofa Benyamin nso ka ho! Biribiara ko tia me.”
37Ruben ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya sɛ, “Sɛ mamfa Benyamin ansane amma a, wowɔ ho kwan sɛ wokum me mmammarima baanu no si anan. Fa no hyɛ me nsa, na mɛsane mede no abrɛ wo.”
38Nanso, Yakob buaa sɛ, “Me babarima no ne monnkɔ hɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, ne nuabarima awu ama aka ɔno nko. Sɛ saa akwantuo a morebɛtu yi, asiane bi kɔsiane no a, mɛwu.”
