New King James Version

Genesis 42:12-28 New King James Version (NKJV)

12. But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

13. And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.”

14. But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’

15. In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

16. Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!”

17. So he put them all together in prison three days.

18. Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:

19. If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses.

20. And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.”And they did so.

21. Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.”

22. And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.”

23. But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.

24. And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

25. Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them.

26. So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there.

27. But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack.

28. So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”