Simeon Is Held

18On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and live, for I fear God.

19If you are honest, let one of your brothers be confined in your place of custody, and you, go and bring grain for the famine of your households.

20Then bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and you will not die.” And they did so.

21Then they said to one another, “Indeed, we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we did not listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”

22Then Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’? But you did not listen. And now, look, his blood is being required.”

23But they did not know that Joseph was listening, because the interpreter was between them.

24He turned away from them and wept. Then he returned to them and spoke to them, and he took Simeon from among them and bound him before their eyes.

25Then Joseph gave orders to fill their containers with grain, to return each man's silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And so it was done for them.

26Then they loaded their grain onto their donkeys and went from there.

27Then one of them opened his sack to give fodder to his donkey at the lodging place, and he saw his silver—and behold, it was in the mouth of his bag.

28He said to his brothers, “My silver has been returned, and look, it is even in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them, and they trembled, each man to his brother, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”