Genesis 43 (LXX)

1ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ δὲ ἡνίκα συνετέλεσαν καταφαγεῖν τὸν σῖτον, ὃν ἤνεγκαν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν· πάλιν πορευθέντες πρίασθε ἡμῖν μικρὰ βρώματα.Now the famine was still severe in the land.

2εἶπε 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 μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ᾖ·So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

3εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀποστέλλῃς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, καταβησόμεθα, καὶ ἀγοράσομέν σοι βρώματα.But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’

4εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποστέλλῃς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, οὐ πορευσόμεθα. ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος εἶπεν ἡμῖν, λέγων· οὐκ ὄψεσθέ μου τὸ πρόσωπον, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ᾖ.If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.

5εἶπε δὲ Ἰσραήλ· τί ἐκακοποιήσατέ με, ἀναγγείλαντες τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὅτι ἐστὶν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός;But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

6οἱ 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;“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”

7εἶπε δὲ Ἰούδας πρὸς Ἰσραὴλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· ἀπόστειλον τὸ παιδάριον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἀναστάντες πορευσόμεθα, ἵνα ζῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ σὺ καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ ἡμῶν.They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

8ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκδέχομαι αὐτόν, ἐκ χειρός μου ζήτησον αὐτόν· ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγω αὐτὸν πρὸς σὲ καὶ στήσω αὐτὸν ἐναντίον σου, ἡμαρτηκὼς ἔσομαι εἰς σὲ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας.And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.

9εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐβραδύναμεν, ἤδη ἂν ὑπεστρέψαμεν δίς.I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.

10εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς Ἰσραὴλ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν· εἰ οὕτως ἐστί, τοῦτο ποιήσατε· λάβετε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις ὑμῶν καὶ καταγάγετε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ δῶρα τῆς ρητίνης καὶ τοῦ μέλιτος, θυμίαμά τε καὶ στακτὴν καὶ τερέβινθον καὶ κάρυα.If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

11καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον δισσὸν λάβετε ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν· καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν ἀποστρέψατε μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν· μή ποτε ἀγνόημά ἐστι.Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

12καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν λάβετε καὶ ἀναστάντες κατάβητε πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον.Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.

13ὁ δὲ Θεός μου δῴη ὑμῖν χάριν ἐναντίον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ἀποστείλαι τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν τὸν ἕνα καὶ τὸν Βενιαμίν· ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ καθάπερ ἠτέκνωμαι, ἠτέκνωμαι.Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.

14Λαβόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τὰ δῶρα ταῦτα καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον διπλοῦν ἔλαβον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν Βενιαμὶν καὶ ἀναστάντες κατέβησαν εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἔστησαν ἐναντίον Ἰωσήφ.May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

15εἶδε 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· μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ γὰρ φάγονται οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἄρτους τὴν μεσημβρίαν.So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

16ἐποίησε δὲ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καθὰ εἶπεν Ἰωσήφ, καὶ εἰσήγαγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ἰωσήφ.When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”

17ἰδόντες 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.The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.

18προσελθόντες δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἐλάλησαν αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ πυλῶνι τοῦ οἴκουBut the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

19λέγοντες· δεόμεθα, κύριε, κατέβημεν τὴν ἀρχὴν πρίασθαι βρώματα·So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.

20ἐγένετο 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“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.

21καὶ ἀργύριον ἕτερον ἠνέγκαμεν μεθ᾿ ἑαυτῶν ἀγοράσαι βρώματα· οὐκ οἴδαμεν, τίς ἐνέβαλε τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν.But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.

22εἶπε 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 ΣυμεὼνWe have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

23καὶ ἤνεγκεν ὕδωρ νίψαι τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν καὶ ἔδωκε χορτάσματα τοῖς ὄνοις αὐτῶν.“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24ἡτοίμασαν δὲ τὰ δῶρα ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ μεσημβρίας· ἤκουσαν γὰρ ὅτι ἐκεῖ μέλλει ἀριστᾶν.And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.

25Εἰσῆλθε 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.Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.

26ἠρώτησε δὲ αὐτούς, πῶς ἔχετε; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· εἰ ὑγιαίνει ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ πρεσβύτης, ὃν εἴπατε; ἔτι ζῇ;When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

27οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· ὑγιαίνει ὁ παῖς σου ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν, ἔτι ζῇ· καὶ εἶπεν· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος τῷ Θεῷ. καὶ κύψαντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ.He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

28ἀναβλέψας 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.“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.

29ἐταράχθη δὲ Ἰωσήφ, συνεστρέφετο γὰρ τὰ ἔγκατα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐζήτει κλαῦσαι· εἰσελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον ἔκλαυσεν ἐκεῖ.When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

30καὶ νιψάμενος τὸ πρόσωπον ἐξελθὼν ἐνεκρατεύσατο καὶ εἶπε· παράθετε ἄρτους.Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.

31καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτοῖς καθ᾿ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τοῖς συνδειπνοῦσι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καθ᾿ ἑαυτούς· οὐ γὰρ ἐδύναντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι συνεσθίειν μετὰ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἄρτους, βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστι τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις.Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”

32ἐκάθισαν 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.They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.

33ᾖραν δὲ μερίδας παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτούς· ἐμεγαλύνθη δὲ ἡ μερὶς Βενιαμὶν παρὰ τὰς μερίδας πάντων πενταπλασίως πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων, ἔπιον δὲ καὶ ἐμεθύσθησαν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.

You’ve read Genesis 43

Go deeper

You’ve read Genesis 43

Go deeper