Joseph’s Brothers Make Their First Journey to Egypt

When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, he told his sons to go there and buy food so the family could live and not die. Ten of Joseph’s brothers went, but Jacob did not send Benjamin. He feared some harm might happen to him. Many people were travelling to buy grain, because the famine had reached Canaan too.

In Egypt, Joseph was governor over the land and the one who sold grain to the people. His brothers came and bowed with their faces to the ground. Joseph recognised them, but they did not recognise him. He spoke roughly and accused them of being spies. They answered that they had come from Canaan to buy food, that they were twelve brothers, that the youngest was with their father, and that one was no more.

Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them and said their words would be tested. He put all of them in custody for three days. On the third day, he said that one brother would remain bound while the others took grain home for their starving households. Then they must bring their youngest brother back, so their words could be shown true.

The brothers said to one another that this trouble had come because of what they had done to their brother long ago, when they saw his distress and would not listen. Reuben reminded them that he had warned them not to sin against the boy. They did not know Joseph understood them, because an interpreter stood between them. Joseph turned away and wept, then returned and had Simeon bound before their eyes.

Joseph ordered their bags to be filled with grain, their money returned, and food given for the journey. On the way, one brother found his money in his sack, and the others trembled, asking what God had done. Back in Canaan, they told Jacob everything. As they emptied their sacks, each man's bundle of money was found, and they were afraid. Jacob cried that Joseph was no more and now Simeon too. He refused to send Benjamin, even when Reuben offered his own two sons as a pledge.