11. We're honest men, and we come from the same family—we're not spies.”
12. “That isn't so!” Joseph insisted. “You've come here to find out where our country is weak.”
13. But they explained, “Sir, we come from a family of twelve brothers. The youngest is still with our father in Canaan, and one of our brothers is dead.”
14. Joseph replied:It's just like I said. You're spies,
15. and I'm going to find out who you really are. I swear by the life of the king that you won't leave this place until your youngest brother comes here.
16. Choose one of you to go after your brother, while the rest of you stay here in jail. That will show whether you are telling the truth. But if you are lying, I swear by the life of the king that you are spies!
17. Joseph kept them all under guard for three days,
18. before saying to them:Since I respect God, I'll give you a chance to save your lives.
19. If you are honest men, one of you must stay here in jail, and the rest of you can take the grain back to your starving families.
20. But you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then I'll know that you are telling the truth, and you won't be put to death.Joseph's brothers agreed
21. and said to one another, “We're being punished because of Joseph. We saw the trouble he was in, but we refused to help him when he begged us. That's why these terrible things are happening.”
22. Reuben spoke up, “Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen, and now we have to pay the price for killing him.”
23. They did not know that Joseph could understand them, since he was speaking through an interpreter.