1. Meanwhile, the famine pressed heavily on all the land.
2. And having consumed the provisions that they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Return and buy us a little food."
3. Judah answered: "The man himself declared to us, under the attestation of an oath, saying: 'You will not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.'
4. If therefore you are willing to send him with us, we will travel together, and we will buy necessities for you.
5. But if you are not willing, we will not go. For the man, as we have often said, declared to us, saying: 'You will not see my face without your youngest brother.' "
6. Israel said to them, "You have done this for my misery, in that you revealed to him that you also had another brother."
7. But they responded: "The man questioned us in order, concerning our family: whether our father lived, if we had a brother. And we answered him respectively, according to what he demanded. How could we know that he would say, 'Bring your brother with you?' "
8. Likewise, Judah said to his father: "Send the boy with me, so that we may set out and be able to live, lest we and our little ones should die.
9. I accept the boy; require him at my hand. Unless I lead him back and restore him to you, I will be guilty of a sin against you for all time.