8. Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.
9. Then Joseph remembered his dreams about them. So he said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the places where our land isn't guarded very well."
10. "No, sir," they answered. "We've come to buy food.
11. All of us are the sons of one man. We're honest men. We aren't spies."
12. "No!" he said to them. "You have come to see the places where our land isn't guarded very well."
13. But they replied, "We were 12 brothers. All of us were the sons of one man. He lives in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is now with our father. And one brother is gone."
14. Joseph said to them, "I still say you are spies!
15. So I'm going to put you to the test. You can be sure that Pharaoh lives. And you can be just as sure that you won't leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. I promise with an oath that you won't leave here.
16. Send one of you back to get your brother. The rest of you will be kept in prison. "I'll put your words to the test. Then we'll find out whether you are telling the truth. You can be sure that Pharaoh lives. And you can be just as sure that if you aren't telling the truth, we'll know that you are spies!"
17. So Joseph kept all of them under guard for three days.
18. On the third day, Joseph spoke to them again. He said, "Do what I say. Then you will live, because I have respect for God.
19. If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison. The rest of you may go and take grain back to your hungry families.
20. "But you must bring your youngest brother to me. That will prove that your words are true. Then you won't die." So they did what he said.
21. They said to one another, "God is certainly punishing us because of our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he begged us to let him live. But we wouldn't listen. That's why all of this trouble has come to us."
22. Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we're being held accountable for killing him."
23. They didn't realize that Joseph could understand what they were saying. He was using someone else to explain their words to him in the Egyptian language.
24. Joseph turned away from them and began to sob. Then he turned around and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken and tied up right there in front of them.
25. Joseph gave orders to have their bags filled with grain. He had each man's money put back into his sack. He also made sure they were given food for their journey.