Judah’s Pledge

1The famine was severe in the land.

2And when they had finished eating the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back; buy us a little food.”

3Then Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.

5But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’

6Then Israel said, “Why did you do me harm by telling the man that you still had another brother?”

7They said, “The man questioned us closely about us and about our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we told him according to these words. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

8And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and let us arise and go, so that we may live and not die—both we and you and our little ones.”

9I myself will guarantee him. From my hand you may require him. If I do not bring him to you and set him before you, then I will bear the blame to you all my days.

10For if we had not delayed, by now we would have returned twice.

11Then Israel their father said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice products of the land in your containers, and carry down to the man a gift—a little balm and a little honey, gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.”

12Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.

13Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man.

14May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, so that he may send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.