AND Ya`aqov afterward heard that there was grain in Mitsrayim, and he called unto his sons to go to Mitsrayim to buy grain, for upon them also did the famine prevail, and he called unto his sons, saying,
Behold I hear that there is grain in Mitsrayim, and all the people of the earth go there to purchase, now therefore why will you show yourselves satisfied before the whole earth? go you also down to Mitsrayim and buy us a little grain amongst those that come there, that we may not die.
And the sons of Ya`aqov hearkened to the voice of their father, and they rose up to go down to Mitsrayim in order to buy grain amongst the rest that came there.
And Ya`aqov their father commanded them, saying, When you come into the city do not enter together in one gate, on account of the inhabitants of the land.
And the sons of Ya`aqov went forth and they went to Mitsrayim, and the sons of Ya`aqov did all as their father had commanded them, and Ya`aqov did not send Binyamiyn, for he said, Lest an accident might befall him on the road like his brother; and ten of Ya`aqov's sons went forth.
And while the sons of Ya`aqov were going on the road, they repented of what they had done to Yoceph, and they spoke to each other, saying, We know that our brother Yoceph went down to Mitsrayim, and now we will seek him where we go, and if we find him we will take him from his adoniy for a ransom, and if not, by force, and we will die for him.
And the sons of Ya`aqov agreed to this thing and strengthened themselves on account of Yoceph, to deliver him from the hand of his adoniy, and the sons of Ya`aqov went to Mitsrayim; and when they came near to Mitsrayim they separated from each other, and they came through ten gates of Mitsrayim, and the gate keepers wrote their names on that day, and brought them to Yoceph in the evening.
And Yoceph read the names from the hand of the gate keepers of the city, and he found that his brethren had entered at the ten gates of the city, and Yoceph at that time commanded that it should be proclaimed throughout the land of Mitsrayim, saying,
Go forth all ye store guards, close all the grain stores and let only one remain open, that those who come may purchase from it.
And all the officers of Yoceph did so at that time, and they closed all the stores and left only one open.
And Yoceph gave the written names of his brethren to him that was set over the open store, and he said unto him, Whosoever shall come to you to buy grain, ask his name, and when men of these names shall come before you, seize them and send them, and they did so.
And when the sons of Ya`aqov came into the city, they joined together in the city to seek Yoceph before they bought themselves grain.
And they went to the walls of the harlots, and they sought Yoceph in the walls of the harlots for three days, for they thought that Yoceph would come in the walls of the harlots, for Yoceph was very comely and well favored, and the sons of Ya`aqov sought Yoceph for three days, and they could not find him.
And the man who was set over the open store sought for those names which Yoceph had given him, and he did not find them.
And he sent to Yoceph, saying, These three days have passed, and those men whose names you did give unto me have not come; and Yoceph sent servants to seek the men in all Mitsrayim, and to bring them before Yoceph.
And Yoceph's servants went and came into Mitsrayim and could not find them, and went to Goshen and they were not there, and then went to the city of Ra`amcec and could not find them.
And Yoceph continued to send sixteen servants to seek his brothers, and they went and spread themselves in the four corners of the city, and four of the servants went into the house of the harlots, and they found the ten men there seeking their brother.
And those four men took them and brought them before him, and they bowed down to him to the ground, and Yoceph was sitting upon his throne in his temple, clothed with princely garments, and upon his head was a large crown of gold, and all the mighty men were sitting around him.
And the sons of Ya`aqov saw Yoceph, and his figure and comeliness and dignity of countenance seemed wonderful in their eyes, and they again bowed down to him to the ground.
And Yoceph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but they knew him not, for Yoceph was very great in their eyes, therefore they knew him not.
And Yoceph spoke to them, saying, From whence come ye? and they all answered and said, Your servants have come from the land of Kena`an to buy grain, for the famine prevails throughout the earth, and your servants heard that there was grain in Mitsrayim, so they have come amongst the other comers to buy grain for their support.
And Yoceph answered them, saying, If you have come to purchase as you say, why do you come through ten gates of the city? it can only be that you have come to spy through the land.
And they all together answered Yoceph, and said, Not so my adoniy, we are right, your servants are not spies, but we have come to buy grain, for your servants are all brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Kena`an, and our father commanded us, saying, When you come to the city do not enter together at one gate on account of the inhabitants of the land.
And Yoceph again answered them and said, That is the thing which I spoke unto you, you have come to spy through the land, therefore you all came through ten gates of the city; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.
Surely everyone that comes to buy grain goes his way, and you are already three days in the land, and what do you do in the walls of harlots in which you have been for these three days? surely spies do like unto these things.
And they said unto Yoceph, Far be it from our adoniy to speak thus, for we are twelve brothers, the sons of our father Ya`aqov, in the land of Kena`an, the son of Yitschaq, the son of Avraham, the Ivriy, and behold the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Kena`an, and one is not, for he was lost from us, and we thought perhaps he might be in this land, so we are seeking him throughout the land, and have come even to the houses of harlots to seek him there.
And Yoceph said unto them, And have you then sought him throughout the earth, that there only remained Mitsrayim for you to seek him in? And what also should your brother do in the houses of harlots, although he were in Mitsrayim? have you not said, That you are from the sons of Yitschaq, the son of Avraham, and what shall the sons of Ya`aqov do then in the houses of harlots?
And they said unto him, Because we heard that the Yishma'e'liym stole him from us, and it was told unto us that they sold him in Mitsrayim, and your servant, our brother, is very comely and well favored, so we thought he would surely be in the houses of harlots, therefore your servants went there to seek him and give ransom for him.
And Yoceph still answered them, saying, Surely you speak falsely and utter lies, to say of yourselves that you are the sons of Avraham; as Phar'oh lives you are spies, therefore have you come to the houses of harlots that you should not be known.
And Yoceph said unto them, And now if you find him, and his adoniy requires of you a great price, will you give it for him? and they said, It shall be given.
And he said unto them, And if his adoniy will not consent to part with him for a great price, what will you do unto him on his account? and they answered him, saying, If he will not give him unto us we will slay him, and take our brother and go away.
And Yoceph said unto them, That is the thing which I have spoken to you; you are spies, for you are come to slay the inhabitants of the land, for we heard that two of your brethren smote all the inhabitants of Shekem, in the land of Kena`an, on account of your sister, and you now come to do the like in Mitsrayim on account of your brother.
Only hereby shall I know that you are true men; if you will send home one from amongst you to fetch your youngest brother from your father, and to bring him here unto me, and by doing this thing I will know that you are right.
And Yoceph called to seventy of his mighty men, and he said unto them, take these men and bring them into the ward.
And the mighty men took the ten men, they laid hold of them and put them into the ward, and they were in the ward three days.
And on the third day Yoceph had them brought out of the ward, and he said unto them, Do this for yourselves if you be true men, so that you may live, one of your brethren shall be confined in the ward while you go and take home the grain for your household to the land of Kena`an, and fetch your youngest brother, and bring him here unto me, that I may know that you are true men when you do this thing.
And Yoceph went out from them and came into the chamber, and wept a great weeping, for his pity was excited for them, and he washed his face, and returned to them again, and he took Shim`on from them and ordered him to be bound, but Shim`on was not willing to be done so, for he was a very powerful man and they could not bind him.
And Yoceph called unto his mighty men and seventy valiant men came before him with drawn swords in their hands, and the sons of Ya`aqov were terrified at them.
And Yoceph said unto them, seize this man and confine him in prison until his brethren come to him, and Yoceph's valiant men hastened and they all laid hold of Shim`on to bind him, and Shim`on gave a loud and terrible shriek and the cry was heard at a distance.
And all the valiant men of Yoceph were terrified at the sound of the shriek, that they fell upon their faces, and they were greatly afraid and fled.
And all the men that were with Yoceph fled, for they were greatly afraid of their lives, and only Yoceph and Menashsheh his son remained there, and Menashsheh the son of Yoceph saw the strength of Shim`on, and he was exceedingly wroth.
And Menashsheh the son of Yoceph rose up to Shim`on, and Menashsheh smote Shim`on a heavy blow with his fist against the back of his neck, and Shim`on was stilled of his rage.
And Menashsheh laid hold of Shim`on and he seized him violently and he bound him and brought him into the house of confinement, and all the sons of Ya`aqov were astonished at the act of the youth.
And Shim`on said unto his brethren, none of you must say that this is the smiting of a Mitsriy, but it is the smiting of the house of my father.
And after this Yoceph ordered him to be called who was set over the storehouse, to fill their sacks with grain as much as they could carry, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the road, and thus did he unto them.
And Yoceph commanded them, saying, Take heed lest you transgress my orders to bring your brother as I have told you, and it shall be when you bring your brother hither unto me, then will I know that you are true men, and you shall traffic in the land, and I will restore unto you your brother, and you shall return in peace to your father.
And they all answered and said, According as our adoniy speaks so will we do, and they bowed down to him to the ground.
And every man lifted his grain upon his ass, and they went out to go to the land of Kena`an to their father; and they came to the inn and Leviy spread his sack to give provender to his ass, when he saw and behold his money in full weight was still in his sack.
And the man was greatly afraid, and he said unto his brethren, My money is restored, and lo, it is even in my sack, and the men were greatly afraid, and they said, What is this that Elohiym has done unto us?
And they all said, And where is Yahuah's kindness with our fathers, with Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya`aqov, that Yahuah has this day delivered us into the hands of the king of Mitsrayim to contrive against us?
And Yahudah said unto them, Surely we are guilty sinners before Yahuah Elohaynu in having sold our brother, our own flesh, and wherefore do you say, Where is Yahuah's kindness with our fathers?
And Re'uven said unto them, Said I not unto you, do not sin against the lad, and you would not listen to me? now Elohiym requires him from us, and how dare you say, Where is Yahuah's kindness with our fathers, while you have sinned unto Yahuah?
And they tarried over night in that place, and they rose up early in the morning and laded their asses with their grain, and they led them and went on and came to their father's house in the land of Kena`an.
And Ya`aqov and his household went out to meet his sons, and Ya`aqov saw and behold their brother Shim`on was not with them, and Ya`aqov said unto his sons, Where is your brother Shim`on, whom I do not see? and his sons told him all that had befallen them in Mitsrayim.