Joseph

and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Yosef had said. There was famine in all lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food.

When the whole land of Egypt started feeling the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Yosef, and do what he tells you to do."

The famine was over all the earth, but then Yosef opened all the storehouses and sold food to the Egyptians, since the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

Moreover all countries came to Egypt to Yosef to buy grain, because the famine was severe throughout the earth.

Thus Yosef's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt,

except for Binyamin, Yosef's brother. Ya'akov did not send him with his brothers, because he was afraid something might happen to him.

Yosef was governor over the land; it was he who sold to all the people of the land. Now when Yosef's brothers came and prostrated themselves before him on the ground,

Yosef saw his brothers and recognized them; but he acted toward them as if he were a stranger and spoke harshly with them. He asked them, "Where are you from?" They answered, "From the land of Kena'an to buy food."

So Yosef recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.

Remembering the dreams he had had about them, Yosef said to them, "You are spies! You've come to spot our country's weaknesses!"

"Just as I said,"replied Yosef, "you're spies!

On the third day, Yosef said to them, "Do what I say, and stay alive, for I fear God.

They had no idea that Yosef understood them, since an interpreter was translating for them.

Next he ordered that their containers be filled with grain, that every man's money be put back in his pack and that they be given provisions for the journey. When these things had been done for them,

Ya'akov their father said to them, "You have robbed me of my children! Yosef is gone, Shim'on is gone, now you're taking Binyamin away - it all falls on me!"

The men took that gift, and they took twice the money with them, and Binyamin; then they prepared, went down to Egypt and stood before Yosef.

When Yosef saw Binyamin with them, he said to his household manager, "Take the men inside the house, kill the animals and prepare the meat. These men will dine with me at noon."

The man did as Yosef ordered and brought the men into Yosef's house.

Upon being ushered inside Yosef's house, the men became fearful. They said, "It's because of the money that was returned in our packs the first time that we have been brought inside - so that he can use it as an excuse to attack us, take us as slaves and seize our donkeys too."

So they approached the manager of Yosef's household and spoke to him at the entrance of the house:

The man brought the men into Yosef's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet, and he provided fodder for their donkeys.

Then they got their gift ready for Yosef's arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were going to eat a meal there.

When Yosef arrived home, they went in the house and presented him with the gift they had brought with them, then prostrated themselves before him on the ground.

Then Yosef hurried out, because his feelings toward his brother were so strong that he wanted to cry; he went into his bedroom and there he wept.

And put my goblet, the silver one, just inside the pack of the youngest, along with his grain money." He did what Yosef told him to do.