Genesis 43 – NIV & AKCB

New International Version

Genesis 43:1-34

The Second Journey to Egypt

1Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

3But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ 4If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ”

6Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?”

7They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”

8Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. 9I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 10As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.”

11Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. 14And may God Almighty43:14 Hebrew El-Shaddai grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

15So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”

17The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. 18Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

19So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20“We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food. 21But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. 22We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

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

24The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.

26When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. 27He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?”

28They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.

29As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.

31After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.”

32They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. 33The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Akuapem Twi Contemporary Bible

1 Mose 43:1-34

Yakob Mma No San Kɔ Misraim

1Saa bere no mu no, na ɔkɔm no ano da so yɛ den wɔ asase no so nyinaa. 2Enti bere a aduan a wɔkɔtɔ fii Misraim bae no reyɛ asa no, wɔn agya Yakob ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Monsan nkɔ nkɔtɔ aduan kakra mmra bio.”

3Nanso Yuda ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya Yakob se, “Owura no sua kyerɛɛ yɛn denneennen se, ‘Sɛ moamfa mo nua kumaa no anka mo ho amma a, munnsi mʼanim ha bio.’ 4Sɛ wobɛma yɛne yɛn nua kumaa no akɔ de a, ɛno de, yɛbɛsan akɔ akɔtɔ aduan no bi abrɛ wo. 5Nanso sɛ woamma yɛamfa no ankɔ de a, yɛrenkɔ, efisɛ owura no suaa denneennen se, ‘Sɛ mo nua kumaa no nka mo ho a, munnsi mʼanim bio.’ ”

6Israel bisaa ne mma no se, “Adɛn nti na moka kyerɛɛ owura no se mowɔ nua kumaa bi wɔ hɔ, na mode saa ɔhaw yi abɛto me so?”

7Anuanom no buaa wɔn agya Israel se, “Owura no nyaa adagyew, tɔɔ ne bo ase bisaa yɛn ne yɛn abusuafo ho nsɛm nyinaa se, ‘Mo agya da so te ase ana? Mowɔ onua foforo bi ka mo ho?’ Nsɛm a obisaa yɛn no na yebuaa no. Na yennim sɛ ɔbɛka se, ‘Momfa mo nua kumaa no mmra.’ ”

8Ɛhɔ na Yuda ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya Israel se, “Fa yɛn nua no hyɛ me nsa, na yensi mu nkɔ ntɛm nkɔtɔ aduan no bi mmra, na ɔkɔm ankum yɛn ne wo ne yɛn mma. 9Mʼankasa mɛhwɛ abofra no so. Sɛ mamfa no amma a, bisa me. Sɛ mamfa no amma, ammegyina wʼanim ha, amma woanhu sɛ wo ba no ni a, saa asodi no nna me so me nkwanna nyinaa. 10Sɛ yɛantwentwɛn yɛn nan ase a, anka saa bere yi, yɛakɔ aba bɛyɛ mprenu.”

11Afei, wɔn agya Israel ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Sɛ meyɛ ho hwee na ɛrenyɛ yiye de a, ɛno de, momfa asase yi so nnepa a bi ne akyenkyennuru kakra, ɛwo kakra, aduhuam, kurobow, nkate ne ɔsonkoran aba nhyɛ mo nkotoku mu, nkɔyɛ owura no ayɛ. 12Sika a mode rekɔ no nso, monyɛ no mmɔho efisɛ ɛsɛ sɛ mosan de sika a kan no mode kɔe na ɔsan de hyɛɛ mo nnesoa mu bae no kɔma no. Ebia na ɛyɛɛ no anipaso. 13Momfa mo nua no nso nka mo ho, na munsi mu ntɛmntɛm nkɔ. 14Otumfo Nyankopɔn nnyina mo akyi, na owura no nhu mo mmɔbɔ, na onyaa mo nua panyin Simeon, na ɔmfa Benyamin nso nka mo ho, na mo nyinaa nsan mmra. Sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ midi wɔn wu ho awerɛhow nso a, minni asɛm biara ka.”

15Enti Israelmma no faa akyɛde ahorow a wɔde rekɔ akɔyɛ owura no ayɛ no, ne wɔn sika mmɔho abien, ne wɔn nua kumaa Benyamin kaa wɔn ho, sii mu kɔe. Woduu Misraim no, wokoyii wɔn ho adi kyerɛɛ Yosef. 16Bere a Yosef huu sɛ Benyamin ka wɔn ho no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ne fi somfo panyin no se, “Fa nkurɔfo no kɔ me fi, na kum aboa bi, na wɔmfa nnoa aduan, na awia me ne wɔn bedidi.”

17Ɔsomfo panyin no yɛɛ sɛnea Yosef kae no ma ɔde nkurɔfo no kɔɔ Yosef fi. 18Ɔde wɔn duu Yosef fi no, wosuroe. Wɔkae se, “Gyama esiane dwetɛ a yɛbɛtɔɔ aduan a edi kan no wɔde hyehyɛɛ yɛn nkotoku mu no nti na ɔde yɛn aba ha. Ɔpɛ sɛ ɔde korɔn to yɛn so, na ɔfa yɛn sɛ ne nkoa, na ɔsan fa yɛn mfurum no nyinaa.”

19Woduu Yosef fi kwan no ano no, wɔkɔɔ Yosef somfo panyin no nkyɛn. 20Wɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Yɛn wura, yɛsrɛ wo, yɛbaa ha bere bi a atwa mu bɛtɔɔ aduan. 21Bere a yɛresan akɔ yɛn kurom a ade sae, na yɛsoɛsoɛɛ no, asoɛe hɔ na yebuebuee yɛn nkotoku ano, na yehuu sɛ obiara sika a okurae a anka ɔde rekɔtɔ aburow no hyɛ ne kotoku no mu pɛpɛɛpɛ. Ɛno nti, yɛasan de aba. 22Yɛasan de sika foforo aba sɛ yɛde rebɛtɔ aduan. Yennim onipa ko a ɔde saa sika no hyehyɛɛ yɛn nkotoku no mu.”

23Ɔsomfo panyin no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Ɛnyɛ asɛm biara. Munnsuro. Onyame a mosom no ne mo agya Nyame a ɔsom no no na ɔde saa sika no hyehyɛɛ mo nkotoku no mu maa mo. Na mo sika no de, yegyei.” Afei, oyii Simeon fii afiase hɔ de no brɛɛ wɔn.

24Ɔsomfo panyin no de wɔn kɔɔ Yosef fi, maa wɔn nsu hohoroo wɔn anan ase, na ɔmaa wɔn mfurum no nso aduan dii. 25Wɔboaboaa akyɛde a wɔde bɛma Yosef no ano de twɛn no, efisɛ na wɔate sɛ wobedidi wɔ fie hɔ awia no.

26Bere a Yosef bae no, anuanom no buu no nkotodwe, de wɔn akyɛde no maa no. 27Yosef bisaa wɔn sɛnea wɔn ho te. Ɔtoaa so se, “Mo agya akwakoraa a mokaa ne ho asɛm no ho te dɛn? Ɔda so te ase ana?”

28Wobuaa no se, “Wʼakoa a ɔyɛ yɛn agya no ho ye. Ɔda so te ase.” Wɔde obu ne nidi bɔɔ wɔn mu ase wɔ nʼanim.

29Bere a nʼani tɔɔ ne na ba Benyamin anim no, obisae se, “Oyi ne mo nua kumaa a mokaa ne ho asɛm kyerɛɛ me no ana?” Ɔtoaa so se, “Me ba, Onyankopɔn nnom wo!” 30Yosef huu ne nua kumaa Benyamin no, ne werɛ howee, enti ɔyɛɛ ntɛm fii adi kɔhyɛɛ ne pia mu kosui.

31Osu wiee no, ɔhohoroo nʼanim, san bae de animia kae se, “Momma yennidi!”

32Wɔtoo Yosef pon wɔ baabi, na wɔtoo anuanom no nso pon wɔ baabi wɔ ɔdan koro no ara mu. Misraimfo a wɔyɛ Yosef asomfo no nso didii wɔ baabi foforo, efisɛ Misraimfo no mmu Hebrifo, na wɔne wɔn ato nsa adidi. 33Wɔde Yosef nuanom no tenatenaa ase mpanyin mu. Ɛyɛɛ saa maa anuanom no de ahodwiriw hwehwɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho anim. 34Wotitii nnuan no fi Yosef pon so kɔmaa wɔn no, na Benyamin de no dɔɔso sen ne nua biara de mpɛn anum. Ɛmaa wɔne Yosef de anigye ne ahosɛpɛw didi nomee.