Genesis 42 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Genesis 42 (WEBP)

[1] Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”
[2] He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.”
[3] Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
[4] But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.”
[5] The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
[6] Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.
[7] Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
[8] Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him.
[9] Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.”
[10] They said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.
[11] We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”
[12] He said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land!”
[13] They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is today with our father, and one is no more.”
[14] Joseph said to them, “It is like I told you, saying, ‘You are spies!’
[15] By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here.
[16] Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.”
[17] He put them all together into custody for three days.
[18] Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God.
[19] If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.
[20] Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.” They did so.
[21] They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn’t listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”
[22] Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and you wouldn’t listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.”
[23] They didn’t know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.
[24] He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
[25] Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain, and to restore each man’s money into his sack, and to give them food for the way. So it was done to them.
[26] They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.
[27] As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.
[28] He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
[29] They came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying,
[30] “The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.
[31] We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are no spies.
[32] We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of Canaan.’
[33] The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way.
[34] Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’ ”
[35] As they emptied their sacks, behold, each man’s bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.
[36] Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”
[37] Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I don’t bring him to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him to you again.”
[38] He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

Genesis 42:38 Sheol is the place of the dead.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Genesis 42 (KJVS)

[1] Now when Jacob saw () that there was corn in Egypt , Jacob said () unto his sons , Why do ye look () one upon another?
[2] And he said (), Behold, I have heard () that there is corn in Egypt : get you down () thither, and buy () for us from thence; that we may live (), and not die ().
[3] And Joseph’s ten brethren went down () to buy () corn in Egypt .
[4] But Benjamin , Joseph’s brother , Jacob sent () not with his brethren ; for he said (), Lest peradventure mischief befall him ().
[5] And the sons of Israel came () to buy () [corn] among those that came (): for the famine was in the land of Canaan .
[6] And Joseph [was] the governor over the land , [and] he [it was] that sold () to all the people of the land : and Joseph’s brethren came (), and bowed down () themselves before him [with] their faces to the earth .
[7] And Joseph saw () his brethren , and he knew () them, but made himself strange () unto them, and spake () roughly unto them; and he said () unto them, Whence come () ye? And they said (), From the land of Canaan to buy () food .
[8] And Joseph knew () his brethren , but they knew () not him.
[9] And Joseph remembered () the dreams which he dreamed () of them, and said () unto them, Ye [are] spies (); to see () the nakedness of the land ye are come ().
[10] And they said () unto him, Nay, my lord , but to buy () food are thy servants come ().
[11] We [are] all one man’s sons ; we [are] true [men], thy servants are no spies ().
[12] And he said () unto them, Nay, but to see () the nakedness of the land ye are come ().
[13] And they said (), Thy servants [are] twelve brethren , the sons of one man in the land of Canaan ; and, behold, the youngest [is] this day with our father , and one [is] not.
[14] And Joseph said () unto them, That [is it] that I spake () unto you, saying (), Ye [are] spies ():
[15] Hereby ye shall be proved (): By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth () hence, except your youngest brother come () hither.
[16] Send () one of you, and let him fetch () your brother , and ye shall be kept in prison (), that your words may be proved (), whether [there be any] truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye [are] spies ().
[17] And he put them all together () into ward three days .
[18] And Joseph said () unto them the third day , This do (), and live (); [for] I fear God :
[19] If ye [be] true [men], let one of your brethren be bound () in the house of your prison : go () ye, carry () corn for the famine of your houses :
[20] But bring () your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified (), and ye shall not die (). And they did () so.
[21] And they said () one to another , We [are] verily guilty concerning our brother , in that we saw () the anguish of his soul , when he besought () us, and we would not hear (); therefore is this distress come () upon us.
[22] And Reuben answered () them, saying (), Spake I () not unto you, saying (), Do not sin () against the child ; and ye would not hear ()? therefore, behold, also his blood is required ().
[23] And they knew () not that Joseph understood () [them]; for he spake unto them by an interpreter ().
[24] And he turned himself about () from them, and wept (); and returned to them again (), and communed () with them, and took () from them Simeon , and bound () him before their eyes .
[25] Then Joseph commanded () to fill () their sacks with corn , and to restore () every man’s money into his sack , and to give () them provision for the way : and thus did he () unto them.
[26] And they laded () their asses with the corn , and departed () thence.
[27] And as one of them opened () his sack to give () his ass provender in the inn , he espied () his money ; for, behold, it [was] in his sack’s mouth .
[28] And he said () unto his brethren , My money is restored (); and, lo , [it is] even in my sack : and their heart failed () [them], and they were afraid (), saying () one to another , What [is] this [that] God hath done () unto us?
[29] And they came () unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan , and told () him all that befell () unto them; saying (),
[30] The man , [who is] the lord of the land , spake () roughly to us, and took () us for spies () of the country .
[31] And we said () unto him, We [are] true [men]; we are no spies ():
[32] We [be] twelve brethren , sons of our father ; one [is] not, and the youngest [is] this day with our father in the land of Canaan .
[33] And the man , the lord of the country , said () unto us, Hereby shall I know () that ye [are] true [men]; leave () one of your brethren [here] with me, and take () [food for] the famine of your households , and be gone ():
[34] And bring () your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know () that ye [are] no spies (), but [that] ye [are] true [men: so] will I deliver () you your brother , and ye shall traffick () in the land .
[35] And it came to pass as they emptied () their sacks , that, behold, every man’s bundle of money [was] in his sack : and when [both] they and their father saw () the bundles of money , they were afraid ().
[36] And Jacob their father said () unto them, Me have ye bereaved () [of my children]: Joseph [is] not, and Simeon [is] not, and ye will take () Benjamin [away]: all these things are against me.
[37] And Reuben spake () unto his father , saying (), Slay () my two sons , if I bring () him not to thee: deliver () him into my hand , and I will bring him to thee again ().
[38] And he said (), My son shall not go down () with you; for his brother is dead (), and he is left () alone: if mischief befall () him by the way in the which ye go (), then shall ye bring down () my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave .

Young’s Literal Translation

Genesis 42 (YLT)

[1] And Jacob seeth that there is corn in Egypt, and Jacob saith to his sons, ‘Why do you look at each other?’
[2] he saith also, ‘Lo, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt, go down thither, and buy for us from thence, and we live and do not die;’
[3] and the ten brethren of Joseph go down to buy corn in Egypt,
[4] and Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob hath not sent with his brethren, for he said, ‘Lest mischief meet him.’
[5] And the sons of Israel come to buy in the midst of those coming, for the famine hath been in the land of Canaan,
[6] and Joseph is the ruler over the land, he who is selling to all the people of the land, and Joseph’s brethren come and bow themselves to him-face to the earth.
[7] And Joseph seeth his brethren, and discerneth them, and maketh himself strange unto them, and speaketh with them sharp things, and saith unto them, ‘From whence have ye come?’ and they say, ‘From the land of Canaan-to buy food.’
[8] And Joseph discerneth his brethren, but they have not discerned him,
[9] and Joseph remembereth the dreams which he dreamed of them, and saith unto them, ‘Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye have come.’
[10] And they say unto him, ‘No, my lord, but thy servants have come to buy food;
[11] we are all of us sons of one man, we are right men; thy servants have not been spies;’
[12] and he saith unto them, ‘No, but the nakedness of the land ye have come to see;’
[13] and they say, ‘Thy servants are twelve brethren; we are sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and lo, the young one is with our father to-day, and the one is not.’
[14] And Joseph saith unto them, ‘This is that which I have spoken unto you, saying, Ye are spies,
[15] by this ye are proved: Pharaoh liveth! if ye go out from this-except by your young brother coming hither;
[16] send one of you, and let him bring your brother, and ye, remain ye bound, and let your words be proved, whether truth be with you: and if not-Pharaoh liveth! surely ye are spies;’
[17] and he removeth them unto charge three days.
[18] And Joseph saith unto them on the third day, ‘This do and live; God I fear!
[19] if ye are right men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your ward, and ye, go, carry in corn for the famine of your houses,
[20] and your young brother ye bring unto me, and your words are established, and ye die not;’ and they do so.
[21] And they say one unto another, ‘Verily we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul, in his making supplication unto us, and we did not hearken: therefore hath this distress come upon us.’
[22] And Reuben answereth them, saying, ‘Spake I not unto you, saying, Sin not against the lad? and ye hearkened not; and his blood also, lo, it is required.’
[23] And they have not known that Joseph understandeth, for the interpreter is between them;
[24] and he turneth round from them, and weepeth, and turneth back unto them, and speaketh unto them, and taketh from them Simeon, and bindeth him before their eyes.
[25] And Joseph commandeth, and they fill their vessels with corn, also to put back the money of each unto his sack, and to give to them provision for the way; and one doth to them so.
[26] And they lift up their corn upon their asses, and go from thence,
[27] and the one openeth his sack to give provender to his ass at a lodging-place, and he seeth his money, and lo, it is in the mouth of his bag,
[28] and he saith unto his brethren, ‘My money hath been put back, and also, lo, in my bag:’ and their heart goeth out, and they tremble, one to another saying, ‘What is this God hath done to us!’
[29] And they come in unto Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and they declare to him all the things meeting them, saying,
[30] ‘The man, the lord of the land, hath spoken with us sharp things, and maketh us as spies of the land;
[31] and we say unto him, We are right men, we have not been spies,
[32] we are twelve brethren, sons of our father, the one is not, and the young one is to-day with our father in the land of Canaan.
[33] ‘And the man, the lord of the land, saith unto us, By this I know that ye are right men-one of your brethren leave with me, and for the famine of your houses take ye and go,
[34] and bring your young brother unto me, and I know that ye are not spies, but ye are right men; your brother I give to you, and ye trade with the land.’
[35] And it cometh to pass, they are emptying their sacks, and lo, the bundle of each man’s silver is in his sack, and they see their bundles of silver, they and their father, and are afraid;
[36] and Jacob their father saith unto them, ‘Me ye have bereaved; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin ye take-against me have been all these.’
[37] And Reuben speaketh unto his father, saying, ‘My two sons thou dost put to death, if I bring him not in unto thee; give him into my hand, and I-I bring him back unto thee;’
[38] and he saith, ‘My son doth not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he by himself is left; when mischief hath met him in the way in which ye go, then ye have brought down my grey hairs in sorrow to sheol.’