by Septuagint
[31] And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. [32] And they set on bread for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination to the Egyptians. [33] And they sat before him, the first-born according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother. [34] And they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as the portions of the others. And they drank and were filled with drink with him.
Chapter 44
[1] And Joseph charged the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put the money of each in the mouth of his sack. [2] And put my silver cup into the sack of the youngest, and the price of his corn. And it was done according to the word of Joseph, as he said.
[3] The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their asses. [4] And when they had gone out of the city, and were not far off, then Joseph said to his steward, Arise, and pursue after the men; and thou shalt overtake them, and say to them, Why have ye returned evil for good? [5] Why have ye stolen my silver cup? is it not this out of which my lord drinks? and he divines augury with it; ye have accomplished evil in that which ye have done. [6] And he found them, and spoke to them according to these words. [7] And they said to him, Why does our lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word. [8] If we brought back to thee out of the land of Chanaan the money which we found in our sacks, how should we steal silver or gold out of the house of thy lord? [9] With whomsoever of thy servants thou shalt find the cup, let him die; and, moreover, we will be servants to our lord. [10] And he said, Now then it shall be as ye say; with whomsoever the cup shall be found, he shall be my servant, and ye shall be clear. [11] And they hasted, and took down every man his sack on the ground, and they opened every man his sack. [12] And he searched, beginning from the eldest, until he came to the youngest; and he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack. [13] And they rent their garments, and laid each man his sack on his ass, and returned to the city.
[14] And Judas and his brethren came in to Joseph, while he was yet there, and fell on the ground before him. [15] And Joseph said to them, What is this thing that ye have done? know ye not that a man such as I can surely divine? [16] And Judas said, What shall we answer to our lord, or what shall we say, or wherein should we be justified? whereas God has discovered the unrighteousness of thy servants; behold, we are slaves to our lord, both we and he with whom the cup has been found. [17] And Joseph said, Far be it from me to do this thing; the man with whom the cup has been found, he shall be my servant; but do ye go up with safety to your father. [18] And Judas drew near him, and said, I pray, Sir, let thy servant speak a word before thee, and be not angry with thy servant, for thou art next to Pharao. [19] Sir, thou askedst thy servants, saying, Have ye a father or a brother? [20] And we said to my lord, We have a father, an old man, and he has a son of his old age, a young one, and his brother is dead, and he alone has been left behind to his mother, and his father loves him. [21] And thou saidst to they servants, Bring him down to me, and I will take care of him. [22] And we said to my lord, The child will not be able to leave his father; but if he should leave his father, he will die. [23] But thou saidst to they servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, ye shall not see my face again. [24] And it came to pass, when we went up to thy servant our father, we reported to him the words of our lord. [25] And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. [26] And we said, We shall not be able to go down; but if our younger brother go down with us, we will go down; for we shall not be able to see the man’s face, our younger brother not being with us. [27] And thy servant our father said to us, Ye know that my wife bore me two sons; [28] and one is departed from me; and ye said that he was devoured of wild beasts, and I have not seen him until now. [29] If then ye take this one also from my presence, and an affliction happen to him by the way, then shall ye bring down my old age with sorrow to the grave. [30] Now then, if I should go in to they servant, and our father, and the boy should not be with us, (and his life depends on this lad’s life) [31] — it shall even come to pass, when he sees the boy is not with us, that he will die, and thy servants will bring down the old age of thy servant, and our father, with sorrow to the grave. [32] For thy servant has received the boy in charge from his father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, and place him before thee, I shall be guilty towards my father for ever. [33] Now then I will remain a servant with thee instead of the lad, a domestic of my lord; but let the lad go up with his brethren. [34] For how shall I go up to my father, the lad not being with us? lest I behold the evils which will befall my father.
Chapter 45
[1] And Joseph could not refrain himself when all were standing by him, but said, Dismiss all from me; and no one stood near Joseph, when he made himself known to his brethren. [2] And he uttered his voice with weeping; and all the Egyptians heard, and it was reported to the house of Pharao. [3] And Joseph said to his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled. [4] And Joseph said to his brethren, Draw nigh to me; and they drew nigh; and he said, I am your brother Joseph, whom ye sold into Egypt. [5] Now then be not grieved, and let it not seem hard to you that ye sold me hither, for God sent me before you for life. [6] For this second year there is famine on the earth, and there are yet five years remaining, in which there is to be neither ploughing, nor mowing. [7] For God sent me before you, that there might be left to you a remnant upon the earth, even to nourish a great remnant of you. [8] Now then ye did not send me hither, but God; and he hath made me as a father of Pharao, and lord of all his house, and ruler of all the land of Egypt. [9] Hasten, therefore, and go up to my father, and say to him, These things saith thy son Joseph; God has made me lord of all the land of Egypt; come down therefore to me, and tarry not. [10] And thou shalt dwell in the land of Gesem of Arabia; and thou shalt be near me, thou and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, thy sheep and thine oxen, and whatsoever things are thine. [11] And I will nourish thee there: for the famine is yet for five years; lest thou be consumed, and thy sons, and all thy possessions. [12] Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. [13] Report, therefore, to my father all my glory in Egypt, and all things that ye have seen, and make haste and bring down my father hither. [14] And he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept on him; and Benjamin wept on his neck. [15] And he kissed all his brethren, and wept on them; and after these things his brethren spoke to him.
[16] And the report was carried into the house of Pharao, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come; and Pharao was glad, and his household. [17] And Pharao said to Joseph, Say to thy brethren, Do this; fill your waggons, and depart into the land of Chanaan. [18] And take up your father, and your possessions, and come to me; and I will give you of all the goods of Egypt, and ye shall eat the marrow of the land. [19] And do thou charge them thus; that they should take for them waggons out of the land of Egypt, for your little ones, and for your wives; and take up your father, and come. [20] And be not sparing in regard to your property, for all the good of Egypt shall be yours. [21] And the children of Israel did so; and Joseph gave to them waggons, according to the words spoken by king Pharao; and he gave them provision for the journey. [22] And he gave to them all two sets of raiment apiece; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of gold, and five changes of raiment. [23] And to his father he sent presents at the same rate, and ten asses, bearing some of all the good things of Egypt, and ten mules, bearing bread for his father for thy journey. [24] And he sent away his brethren, and they went; and he said to them, Be not angry by the way. [25] And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Chanaan, to Jacob their father. [26] And they reported to him, saying, Thy son Jose
ph is living, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt; and Jacob was amazed, for he did not believe them. [27] But they spoke to him all the words uttered by Joseph, whatsoever he said to them; and having seen the chariots which Joseph sent to take him up, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. [28] And Israel said, It is a great thing for me if Joseph my son is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die.
Chapter 46
[1] And Israel departed, he and all that he had, and came to the well of the oath; and he offered sacrifice to the God of his father Isaac. [2] And God spoke to Israel in a night vision, saying, Jacob, Jacob; and he said, What is it? [3] And he says to him, I am the God of thy fathers; fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will make thee there a great nation. [4] And I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will bring thee up at the end; and Joseph shall put his hands on thine eyes. [5] And Jacob rose up from the well of the oath; and the sons of Israel took up their father, and the baggage, and their wives on the waggons, which Joseph sent to take them. [6] And they took up their goods, and all their property, which they had gotten in the land of Chanaan; they came into the land of Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him. [7] The sons, and the sons of his sons with him; his daughters, and the daughters of his daughters; and he brought all his seed into Egypt. [8] And these are the names of the sons of Israel that went into Egypt with their father Jacob — Jacob and his sons. The first-born of Jacob, Ruben. [9] And the sons of Ruben; Enoch, and Phallus, Asron, and Charmi. [10] and the sons of Symeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Aod, and Achin, and Saar, and Saul, the son of a Chananitish woman. [11] And the sons of Levi; Gerson, Cath, and Merari. [12] And the sons of Judas; Er, and Aunan, and Selom, and Phares, and Zara: and Er and Aunan died in the land of Chanaan. [13] And the sons of Phares were Esron, and Jemuel. And the sons of Issachar; Thola, and Phua, and Asum, and Sambran. [14] And the sons of Zabulun, Sered, and Allon, and Achoel. [15] These are the sons of Lea, which she bore to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria, and Dina his daughter; all the souls, sons and daughters, thirty-three. [16] And the sons of Gad; Saphon, and Angis, and Sannis, and Thasoban, and Aedis, and Aroedis, and Areelis. [17] And the sons of Aser; Jemna, Jessua, and Jeul, and Baria, and Sara their sister. And the sons of Baria; Chobor, and Melchiil. [18] These are the sons of Zelpha, which Laban gave to his daughter Lea, who bore these to Jacob, sixteen souls. [19] And the sons of Rachel, the wife of Jacob; Joseph, and Benjamin. [20] And there were sons born to Joseph in the land of Egypt, whom Aseneth, the daughter of Petephres, priest of Heliopolis, bore to him, even Manasses and Ephraim. And there were sons born to Manasses, which the Syrian concubine bore to him, even Machir. And Machir begot Galaad. And the sons of Ephraim, the brother of Manasses; Sutalaam, and Taam. And the sons of Sutalaam; Edom. [21] and the sons of Benjamin; Bala, and Bochor, and Asbel. And the sons of Bala were Gera, and Noeman, and Anchis, and Ros, and Mamphim. And Gera begot Arad. [22] These are the sons of Rachel, which she bore to Jacob; all the souls eighteen. [23] And the sons of Dan; Asom. [24] And the sons of Nephthalim; Asiel, and Goni, and Issaar, and Sollem. [25] These are the sons of Balla, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, who bore these to Jacob; all the souls, seven. [26] And all the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, who came out of his loins, besides the wives of the sons of Jacob, even all the souls were sixty-six. [27] And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in the land of Egypt, were nine souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came with Joseph into Egypt, were seventy-five souls.
[28] And he sent Judas before him to Joseph, to meet him to the city of Heroes, into the land of Ramesses. [29] And Joseph having made ready his chariots, went up to meet Israel his father, at the city of Heroes; and having appeared to him, fell on his neck, and wept with abundant weeping. [30] And Israel said to Joseph, After this I will gladly die, since I have seen thy face, for thou art yet living. [31] And Joseph said to his brethren, I will go up and tell Pharao, and will say to him, My brethren, and my father’s house, who were in the land of Chanaan, are come to me. [32] And the men are shepherds; for they have been feeders of cattle, and they have brought with them their cattle, and their kine, and all their property. [33] If then Pharao call you, and say to you, What is you occupation? [34] Ye shall say, We thy servants are herdsmen from our youth until now, both we and our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Gesem of Arabia, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.
Chapter 47
[1] And Joseph came and told Pharao, saying, My father, and my brethren, and their cattle, and their oxen, and all their possessions, are come out of the land of Chanaan, and behold, they are in the land of Gesem. [2] And he took of his brethren five men, and set them before Pharao. [3] And Pharao said to the brethren of Joseph, What is your occupation? and they said to Pharao, Thy servants are shepherds, both we and our father. [4] And they said to Pharao, We are come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for the flocks of thy servants, for the famine has prevailed in the land of Chanaan; now then, we will dwell in the land of Gesem. And Pharao said to Joseph, Let them dwell in the land of Gesem; and if thou knowest that there are among them able men, make them overseers of my cattle. So Jacob and his sons came into Egypt, to Joseph; and Pharao, king of Egypt, heard of it. [5] And Pharao spoke to Joseph, saying, Thy father, and thy brethren, are come to thee. [6] Behold, the land of Egypt is before thee; settle thy father and thy brethren in the best land. [7] And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharao; and Jacob blessed Pharao. [8] And Pharao said to Jacob, How many are the years of the days of thy life? [9] And Jacob said to Pharao, The days of the years of my life, wherein I sojourn, are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, they have not attained to the days of the life of my fathers, in which days they sojourned. [10] And Jacob blessed Pharao, and departed from him. [11] And Joseph settled his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best land, in the land of Ramesses, as Pharao commanded. [12] And Joseph gave provision to his father, and his brethren, and to all the house of his father, corn for each person.
[13] And there was no corn in all the land, for the famine prevailed greatly; and the land of Egypt, and the land of Chanaan, fainted for the famine. [14] And Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and the land of Chanaan, in return for the corn which they bought, and he distributed corn to them; and Joseph brought all the money into the house of Pharao. [15] And all the money failed out of the land of Egypt, and out of the land of Chanaan; and all the Egyptians came to Joseph, saying, Give us bread, and why do we die in thy presence? for our money is spent. [16] And Joseph said to them, Bring your cattle, and I will give you bread for your cattle, if your money is spent. [17] And they brought their cattle to Joseph; and Joseph gave them bread in return for their horses, and for their sheep, and for their oxen, and for their asses; and Joseph maintained them with bread for all their cattle in that year. [18] And that year passed, and they came to him in the second year, and said to him, Must we then be consumed from before our lord? for if our money has failed, and our possessions, and our cattle, brought to thee our lord, and there has not been left to us before our lord more than our own bodies and our land, we are indeed destitute. [19] In order, then, that we die not before thee, and the land be made desolate, buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharao: give seed that we may sow, and live and not die, so our land shall not be made desolate. [20] And Joseph bought all the land of the Egyptians, for Pharao; for the Egyptians sold their land to Pharao; for the famine prevailed against them, and the land became Pharao’s. [21] And he brought the people into bondage to him, for servants, from one extremity of Egypt to the other, [22] except only the land of the priests; Joseph bought not this, for Pharao gave a portion in the way of gift to the priests; and they ate their portion which Pharao gave them; therefore they sold not their land. [23] And Joseph said to all the Egyptians, Behold, I have bought you and your land this day for P
harao; take seed for you, and sow the land. [24] And there shall be the fruits of it; and ye shall give the fifth part to Pharao, and the four remaining parts shall be for yourselves, for seed for the earth, and for food for you, and all that are in your houses. [25] And they said, Thou hast saved us; we have found favour before our lord, and we will be servants to Pharao. [26] And Joseph appointed it to them for an ordinance until this day; to reserve a fifth part for Pharao, on the land of Egypt, except only the land of the priests, that was not Pharao’s.
[27] And Israel dwelt in Egypt, in the land of Gesem, and they gained an inheritance upon it; and they increased and multiplied very greatly. [28] And Jacob survived seventeen years in the land of Egypt; and Jacob’s days of the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven years. [29] and the days of Israel drew nigh for him to die: and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, If I have found favour before thee, put thy hand under my thigh, and thou shalt execute mercy and truth toward me, so as not to bury me in Egypt. [30] But I will sleep with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me up out of Egypt, and bury me in their sepulchre. And he said, I will do according to thy word. [31] And he said, Swear to me; and he swore to him. And Israel did reverence, leaning on the top of his staff.