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.
12. Take twice as much money with you this time. Take the money that was given back to you after you paid last time. Maybe the governor made a mistake.
13. Take Benjamin, and go back to the man.
14. I pray that God All-Powerful will help you when you stand before the governor. I pray that he will let Benjamin, and also Simeon, come back safely. If not, I will again be sad from losing my children.”
15. So the brothers took the gifts to give to the governor. And the brothers took twice as much money with them as they took the first time. This time Benjamin went with the brothers to Egypt.
16. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his servant, “Bring these men into my house. Kill an animal and cook it. They will eat with me at noon today.”