9. Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!”
10. But they exclaimed, “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food!
11. We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.”
12. “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”
13. They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, and one is no longer alive.”
14. But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: You are spies!
15. You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
16. One of you must go and get your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison. In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”
17. He imprisoned them all for three days.
18. On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say and you will live, for I fear God.
19. If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison while the rest of you go and take grain back for your hungry families.
20. But you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then your words will be verified and you will not die.” They did as he said.
21. They said to one other, “Surely we’re being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!”
22. Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!”