Genesis 43

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Genesis 43

1But the famine prevailed in the land.Ὁ δὲ λιμὸς ἐνίσχυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

2And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food.Ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα συνετέλεσαν καταφαγεῖν τὸν σῖτον, ὃν ἤνεγκαν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν, πάλιν πορευθέντες πρίασθε ἡμῖν μικρὰ βρώματα.

3And Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ Ἰούδας, λέγων, διαμαρτυρίᾳ μεμαρτύρηται ἡμῖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ κύριος τῆς γῆς, λέγων, οὐκ ὄψεσθε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθʼ ὑμῶν ᾖ.

4If, then, you send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy you food;Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀποστέλλῃς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθʼ ἡμῶν, καταβησόμεθα, καὶ ἀγοράσομέν σοι βρώματα.

5but if you send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποστέλλῃς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθʼ ἡμῶν, οὐ πορευσόμεθα· ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος εἶπεν ἡμῖν, λέγων, οὐκ ὄψεσθέ μου τὸ πρόσωπον, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθʼ ὑμῶν ᾖ.

6And Israel said, Why did you harm me, inasmuch as you told the man that you had a brother?Εἶπε δὲ Ἰσραὴλ, τί ἐκακοποιήσατέ με, ἀναγγείλαντες τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὅτι ἐστὶν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός;

7And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have you a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?Οἱ δὲ εἶπαν, ἐρωτῶν ἐπηρώτησεν ἡμᾶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ τὴν γενεὰν ἡμῶν, λέγων, εἰ ἔτι ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ζῇ, καὶ εἰ ἔστιν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός· καὶ ἀπηγγείλαμεν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἐπερώτησιν ταύτην· μὴ ᾔδειμεν ὅτι ἐρεῖ ἡμῖν, ἀγάγετε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν;

8And Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you, and our store.Εἶπε δὲ Ἰούδας πρὸς Ἰσραὴλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ, ἀπόστειλον τὸ παιδάριον μετʼ ἐμοῦ· καὶ ἀναστάντες πορευσόμεθα, ἵνα ζῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ σὺ, καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ ἡμῶν.

9And I engage for him; at my hand do you require him; if I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty toward you for ever.Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκδέχομαι αὐτόν· ἐκ χειρός μου ζήτησον αὐτόν· ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγω αὐτὸν πρός σε, καὶ στήσω αὐτὸν ἐναντίον σου, ἡμαρτηκὼς ἔσομαι εἰς σὲ πάσας τὰς ἡμέραν.

10For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐβραδύναμεν, ἤδη ἂν ὑπεστρέψαμεν δίς.

11And Israel, their father, said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of gum and honey, and frankincense, and stacte, and turpentine, and walnuts.Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς Ἰσραὴλ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν, εἰ οὕτως ἐστὶ, τοῦτο ποιήσατε· λάβετε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις ὑμῶν, καὶ καταγάγετε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ δῶρα τῆς ῥητίνης, καὶ τοῦ μέλιτος, θυμίαμά τε καὶ στακτὴν, καὶ τερέινθον, καὶ κάρυα.

12And take double money in your hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest perhaps it is a mistake.Καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον δισσὸν λάβετε ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν· τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν ἀποστρέψατε μεθʼ ὑμῶν· μή ποτε ἀγνόημά ἐστι.

13And take your * brother; and arise, go down to the man.Καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν λάβετε· καὶ ἀναστάντες κατάβητε πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον.

14And my God give you favor in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly as I have been bereaved, am bereaved.Ὁ δὲ Θεός μου δώῃ ὑμῖν χάριν ἐναντίον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἀποστείλαι τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν τὸν ἕνα, καὶ τὸν Βενιαμίν· ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ καθάπερ ἠτέκνωμαι, ἠτέκνωμαι.

15And the men having taken these presents, and the double money, took in their hands also Benjamin; and they rose up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.Λαβόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τὰ δῶρα ταῦτα καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον διπλοῦν, ἔλαβον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν Βενιαμείν· καὶ ἀναστάντες κατέβησαν εἰς Αἴγυπτον· καὶ ἔστησαν ἐναντίον Ἰωσήφ.

16And Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and kill beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon.Εἶδε δὲ Ἰωσὴφ αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὸν Βενιαμὶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμομήτριον· καὶ εἶπε τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ, εἰσάγαγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ σφάξον θύματα, καὶ ἑτοίμασον· μετʼ ἐμοῦ γὰρ φάγονται οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἄρτους τὴν μεσημβρίαν.

17And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph.Ἐποίησε δὲ ὁ ἄνθρωπος καθὰ εἶπεν Ἰωσήφ· καὶ εἰσήγαγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ἰωσήφ.

18And the men, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to inform against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our asses.Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες ὅτι εἰσήχθησαν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, εἶπαν, διὰ τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ἡμῶν τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἡμεῖς εἰσαγόμεθα, τοῦ συκοφαντῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐπιθέσθαι ἡμῖν, τοῦ λαβεῖν ἡμᾶς εἰς παῖδας, καὶ τοὺς ὄνους ἡμῶν.

19And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house,Προσελθόντες δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, ἐλάλησαν αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ πυλῶνι τοῦ οἴκου,

20saying, We pray you, Sir; we came down at first to buy food.λέγοντες, δεόμεθα, κύριε· κατέβηεν τὴν ἀρχὴν πρίασθαι βρώματα.

21And it came to pass, when we came to unlade, and opened our sacks, there was also this money of each in his sack; we have now brought back our money by weight in our hands.Ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἤλθομεν εἰς τὸ καταλῦσαι, καὶ ἠνοίξαμεν τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν, καὶ τόδε τὸ ἀργύριον ἑκάστου ἐν τῷ μαρσίππῳ αὐτοῦ· τὸ ἀργύριον ἡμῶν ἐν σταθμῷ ἀπεστρέψαμεν νῦν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἡμῶν.

22And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into our sacks.Καὶ ἀργύριον ἕτερον ἠνέγκαμεν μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν, ἀγοράσαι βρώματα· οὐκ οἴδαμεν τίς ἐνέβαλεν τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν.

23And he said to them, God deal mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and † I have enough of your good money. And he brought Symeon out to them.Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς, ἵλεως ὑμῖν, μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν, ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν· καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον ὑμῶν εὐδοκιμοῦν ἀπέχω· καὶ ἐξήγαγε πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸν Συμεών.

24And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses.Καὶ ἤνεγκεν ὕδωρ νίψαι τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν· καὶ ἔδωκε χορτάσματα τοῖς ὄνοις αὐτῶν.

25And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine there.Ἡτοίμασαν δὲ τὰ δῶρα, ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ μεσημβρίας· ἤκουσαν γὰρ ὅτι ἐκεῖ μέλλει ἀριστᾷν.

26And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face to the ground.Εἰσῆλθε δὲ Ἰωσὴφ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ τὰ δῶρα, ἃ εἶχον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν, εἰς τὸν οἶκον· καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.

27And he asked them, How are you? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom you spoke, well? Does he yet live?Ἠρώτησε δὲ αὐτοὺς, πῶς ἔχετε; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, εἰ ὑγιαίνει ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ πρεσβύτης, ὃν εἴπατε; ἔτι ζῇ;

28And they said, Your servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.Οἱ δὲ εἶπαν, ὑγιαίνει ὁ παῖς σου ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν, ἔτι ζῇ. Καὶ εἶπεν, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος τῷ Θεῷ· καὶ κύψαντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ.

29And Joseph ‡ lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom you spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on you, my son.Ἀναβλέψας δὲ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, εἶδε Βενιαμὶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμομήτριον· καὶ εἶπεν, οὗτος ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος, ὃν εἴπατε πρός με ἀγαγεῖν; καὶ εἶπεν, ὁ Θεὸς ἐλεήσαι σε, τέκνον.

30And Joseph was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.Ἐταράχθη δὲ Ἰωσήφ· συνεστρέφετο γὰρ τὰ ἔγκατα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐζήτει κλαῦσαι· εἰσελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον, ἔκλαυσεν ἐκεῖ.

31And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.Καὶ νιψάμενος τὸ πρόσωπον, ἐξελθὼν ἐνεκρατεύσατο· καὶ εἶπε, παράθετε ἄρτους.

32And 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.Καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ, καὶ αὐτοῖς καθʼ ἑαυτούς, καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τοῖς συνδειπνοῦσι μετʼ αὐτοῦ καθʼ ἑαυτούς· οὐ γὰρ ἐδύναντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι συνεσθίειν μετὰ τῶν Ἐβραίων ἄρτους· βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστι τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις.

33And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men § looked with amazement every one at his brother.Ἐκάθισαν δὲ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, ὁ πρωτότοκος κατὰ τὰ πρεσβεῖα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ νεώτερος κατὰ τὴν νεότητα αὐτοῦ· ἐξίσταντο δὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ.

34And 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.Ἦραν δὲ μερίδα παρʼ αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἑαυτούς· ἐμεγαλύνθη δὲ ἡ μερὶς Βενιαμεὶν παρὰ τὰς μερίδας πάντων πενταπλασίως πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων· ἔπιον δὲ καὶ ἐμεθύσθησαν μετʼ αὐτοῦ.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 13*Gr. one.
• v. 23†q.d. I am satisfied with the money you have given me, both as to quality and quantity.
• v. 29‡Gr. having looked up with, etc.
• v. 33§Gr. were amazed.
• v. 34**Gr. was magnified beyond the portions of all five times in comparison of theirs.