Genesis 42 - 43
1
When l Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"
2
And he said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may m live and not die."
3
So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
4
But Jacob did not send Benjamin, n Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for o he feared that harm might happen to him.
5
Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6
Now Joseph was governor p over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and q bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
7
Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and r spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."
8
And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
9
And Joseph s remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. t And he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land."
10
They said to him, "No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food.
11
We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies."
12
He said to them, "No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see."
13
And they said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one u is no more."
14
But Joseph said to them, "It is as I said to you. You are spies.
15
By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
16
Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."
17
And he put them all together in custody for three days.
18
On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, v for I fear God:
19
if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry w grain for the famine of your households,
20
and x 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, y "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us."
22
And Reuben answered them, z "Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now a there comes a reckoning for his blood."
23
They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.
24
Then he turned away from them and b wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
25
c And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.
26
Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed.
27
And as d one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at e the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.
28
He said to his brothers, "My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!" At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"
29
When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying,
30
"The man, the lord of the land, f spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land.
31
But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we have never been spies.
32
We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One g is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'
33
Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, h 'By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take i grain for the famine of your households, and go your way.
34
Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall j trade in the land.'"
35
k As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.
36
And Jacob their father said to them, "You have l bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me."
37
Then Reuben said to his father, "Kill m my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you."
38
But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for n his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. o If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, p you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol."
Genesis 43
1
Now the famine was q severe in the land.
2
And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little food."
3
But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your r brother is with you.'
4
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5
But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'"
6
Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?"
7
They replied, "The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"
8
And Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may s live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
9
I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. t If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10
If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice."
11
Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little u balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
12
Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money v that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13
Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.
14
May w God Almighty x grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, y if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
15
So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the z steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon."
17
The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph's house.
18
And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys."
19
So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house and spoke with him at the door of the house,
20
and said, a "Oh, my lord, b we came down the first time to buy food.
21
And c when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us,
22
and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."
23
He replied, "Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24
And when the man had brought the men into Joseph's house and d given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder,
25
they prepared e the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26
When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and f bowed down to him to the ground.
27
And he inquired about their welfare and said, "Is your father well, the old man g of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"
28
They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." And they h bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.
29
And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, i his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, g of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!"
30
Then Joseph hurried out, for j his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and k wept there.
31
Then he washed his face and came out. And l controlling himself he said, "Serve the food."
32
They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is m an abomination to the Egyptians.
33
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.
34
n Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was o five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.
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Cross References
Acts 7:12
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit.
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Cross References
Genesis 43:8
And Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
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Cross References
Genesis 35:18
And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:38
But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.
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Cross References
Genesis 41:41
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.
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Cross References
Genesis 37:7
Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.
Genesis 37:9 - 10
Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:30
The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land.
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Cross References
Genesis 37:5
Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.
Genesis 37:9
Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:7
Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food.
Genesis 42:30
The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:32
We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 37:30
And returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?
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Cross References
Leviticus 25:43
You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God.
Nehemiah 5:15
The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:33
Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:34
Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.'
Genesis 43:5
But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'
Genesis 44:23
Then you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.
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Cross References
Job 36:8 - 9
And if they are bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction.
Genesis 37:23 - 28
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.
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Cross References
Genesis 37:21
But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life.
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Cross References
Genesis 9:5
And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.
2 Chronicles 24:22
Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, "May the Lord see and avenge!
1 Kings 2:32
The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.
Psalms 9:12
For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
Luke 11:50 - 51
So that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation.
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Cross References
Genesis 43:30
Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.
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Cross References
Genesis 44:1
Then he commanded the steward of his house, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:35
As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.
Genesis 43:21
And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us.
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Cross References
Exodus 4:24
At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death.
Jeremiah 9:2
Oh that I had in the desert a travelers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:7
Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food.
Genesis 42:9
And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:13
And they said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:15
By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
Genesis 42:19 - 20
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:19
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households.
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Cross References
Genesis 34:10
You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.
Genesis 34:21
These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:27
And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.
Genesis 43:21
And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us.
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Cross References
Genesis 43:14
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
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Cross References
Genesis 46:9
And the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:13
And they said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.
Genesis 42:32
We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 42:36
And Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.
Genesis 37:33
And he identified it and said, "It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.
Genesis 44:28
One left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces, and I have never seen him since.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:4
But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him.
Genesis 44:29
If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in evil to Sheol.
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Cross References
Genesis 37:35
All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him.
Genesis 44:31
As soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.
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Cross References
Genesis 41:54
And the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
Genesis 41:57
Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:20
And bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so.
Genesis 44:23
Then you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:2
And he said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:37
Then Reuben said to his father, "Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.
Genesis 44:32
For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.
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Cross References
Genesis 37:25
Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:25
And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.
Genesis 42:27
And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.
Genesis 42:35
As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.
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Cross References
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.
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Cross References
Nehemiah 1:11
O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." Now I was cupbearer to the king.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:36
And Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.
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Cross References
Genesis 43:19
So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house and spoke with him at the door of the house.
Genesis 44:1
Then he commanded the steward of his house, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack.
Genesis 44:4
They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, "Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?
Genesis 24:2
And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh.
Genesis 39:4
So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.
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Cross References
Genesis 44:18
Then Judah went up to him and said, "Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:3
So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
Genesis 42:10
They said to him, "No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:27
And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.
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Cross References
Genesis 18:4
Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
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Cross References
Genesis 43:11
Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:6
Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
Genesis 37:5 - 11
Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:11
We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.
Genesis 42:13
And they said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.
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Cross References
Genesis 43:26
When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.
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Cross References
Genesis 35:18
And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
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Cross References
Genesis 43:27
And he inquired about their welfare and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?
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Cross References
1 Kings 3:26
Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.
Jeremiah 31:20
Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.
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Cross References
Genesis 42:24
Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
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Cross References
Genesis 45:1
Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, "Make everyone go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
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Cross References
Genesis 46:34
You shall say, 'Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,' in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.
Exodus 8:26
But Moses said, "It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?
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Cross References
2 Samuel 11:8
Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." And Uriah went out of the king's house, and there followed him a present from the king.
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Cross References
Genesis 45:22
To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five changes of clothes.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.