1. The famine was very bad in that country.
2. The people ate all the grain they had brought from Egypt. When that grain was gone, Jacob said to his sons, “Go to Egypt and buy some more grain for us to eat.”
3. But Judah said to Jacob, “But the governor of that country warned us. He said, ‘If you don’t bring your brother back to me, I will refuse to talk to you.’
4. If you send Benjamin with us, we will go down and buy grain.
5. But if you refuse to send Benjamin, we will not go. The man warned us to not come back without him.”
6. Israel said, “Why did you tell him you had another brother? Why did you do such a bad thing to me?”
7. The brothers answered, “He asked lots of questions. He wanted to know all about us and about our family. He asked us, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother at home?’ We only answered his questions. We didn’t know he would ask us to bring our brother to him!”
8. Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Let Benjamin go with me. I will take care of him. We have to go to Egypt to get food. If we don’t go, we will all die—including our children.
9. I will make sure he is safe. I will be responsible for him. If I don’t bring him back to you, you can blame me forever.
10. If you had let us go before, we could have already made two trips for food.”
11. Then their father Israel said, “If it is really true, take Benjamin with you. But take some gifts to the governor. Take some of the things we have been able to gather in our land. Take him some honey, pistachio nuts, almonds, spices, and myrrh.