Genesis 43 – NIVUK & CCB

New International Version – UK

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.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

创世记 43:1-34

约瑟的哥哥们再下埃及

1那地方的饥荒仍然非常严重, 2他们从埃及带回来的粮食吃完了,他们的父亲对他们说:“你们再去买些粮食吧。” 3犹大说:“那人严厉地警告我们,‘不把你们的弟弟带来,你们就不要再来见我。’ 4你若让便雅悯跟我们同去,我们就去给你买粮。 5你若不让便雅悯跟我们同去,我们就不去给你买粮。因为那人说,‘你们不把弟弟带来,就不要再来见我。’”

6以色列说:“你们为什么告诉他你们还有一个弟弟,给我惹麻烦呢?” 7他们回答说:“那人详细询问我们和我们家人的情况,问我们的父亲是否在世,还有没有弟兄。我们如实回答,怎会想到他非要我们把弟弟带去呢?”

8犹大对父亲以色列说:“你就让便雅悯跟我同去吧,我们好立刻动身,这样我们一家老小才能保住性命,不致饿死。 9我亲自保证便雅悯的安全,你可以向我要人。我若不把他带回来见你,情愿一生担罪。 10我们若是没有耽搁的话,现在已经往返两趟了。”

11他们的父亲以色列说:“事到如今,只好这样了。你们带一些上好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、没药、榧子和杏仁等土产,去送给那人作礼物吧。 12你们还要带双倍的钱,好归还上次留在你们口袋中的钱,那可能是弄错了。 13带你们的弟弟去见那人吧! 14愿全能的上帝叫那人怜悯你们,让西缅便雅悯回来。我若丧子就丧子吧!”

15于是,他们就带着便雅悯、礼物和双倍的钱去埃及约瑟16约瑟看见便雅悯和他们同来,就对管家说:“你带他们到我家里去,宰杀牲畜,预备宴席,中午他们要跟我一起吃饭。” 17管家照约瑟的吩咐,带他们到约瑟家里。 18他们被带到约瑟家后非常害怕,说:“他把我们带到这里来,一定跟上次放在我们口袋中的钱有关。他想害我们,强迫我们做他的奴仆,抢我们的驴。”

19他们走到约瑟的管家跟前,在房门口对他说: 20“先生,我们上次曾来这里买粮。 21但在回家的途中住宿时,我们打开口袋,发现我们带来买粮的钱分毫不少地放在那里。我们把这些钱带回来了, 22又另外带了一些钱来买粮。我们不知道谁把买粮的钱放进了我们的口袋。”

23管家说:“你们放心,不要害怕,你们口袋里那些钱是你们的上帝,你们父亲的上帝赐给你们的。我已经收了你们买粮的钱。”说完就把西缅带出来和他们见面, 24接着带他们进约瑟的家,给他们水洗脚,给他们的驴喂草料。 25他们知道要在那里吃午餐,就预备好礼物,等约瑟中午回来。

26约瑟来了,他们就把带来的礼物献给他,向他俯伏下拜。 27约瑟向他们问好,然后说:“你们提起过你们的老父亲,他还健在、安康吗?” 28他们回答说:“你仆人——我们的父亲仍然健在、安康。”说完了,又向他下拜。 29约瑟抬头看见了自己的同胞弟弟便雅悯,就问道:“这就是你们所说那位最小的弟弟吗?”他又对便雅悯说:“孩子,愿上帝施恩给你。” 30约瑟爱弟之心油然而生,急忙出去找哭的地方。他到自己的房间里哭了一场。

31他洗过脸出来,控制着自己的感情,吩咐人摆饭。 32约瑟自己一桌,他的弟兄们一桌,那些和他们一起吃饭的埃及人一桌,因为埃及人厌恶和希伯来人同席。 33约瑟让他的弟兄们在他对面按照长幼次序坐,他们面面相觑,非常惊讶。 34约瑟吩咐人把自己面前的菜肴分给他们,便雅悯得的那份比其他弟兄多五倍。他们尽情地和约瑟一同吃喝。