Jubilees

And in the first year of the third week of the forty-fifth jubilee, the famine began to come upon the land, and the rain refused to be given to the land, because no water fell.

And the land became barren, but in the land of Egypt there was food, because Joseph had stored the seeds of the land in the seven years of abundance and had preserved them.

And the Egyptians came to Joseph that he might give them food, and he opened the storehouses where the grain of the first year was, and he sold it to the people of the land for gold. Now the famine was very severe in the land of Canaan.

And Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt, and he sent his ten sons that they might seek food in Egypt, but Benjamin he did not send. And the ten sons of Jacob arrived in Egypt among those who were there.

And Joseph recognized them, but they did not recognize him, and he spoke to them and questioned them, and he said to them: "Are you not spies and have you not come to spy out this strip of land? And he put them in prison.

And after that he released them again, and kept Simeon alone and sent away his nine brothers.

And he filled their sacks with corn, and he put their money in their sacks, but they did not know.

And he ordered them to bring their youngest brother, because they had told him that their father and their youngest brother were alive.

And they went up from the land of Egypt and went to the land of Canaan; and they told their father everything that had happened to them, and how the lord of the country had spoken harshly to them, and had imprisoned Simeon until they brought Benjamin.

And Jacob said: "You also make me childless! Joseph is gone, and also Simeon, and you also want to take Benjamin from me? Your wickedness has come upon me!"

And he said: "My son shall not go with you, lest he become ill, because his mother gave birth to two sons, and one perished, and this other you want to take from me. If he happens to have a fever on the road, you will bring me in my old age in lamentation to death."

Because he saw that their money had returned to each man in his sack, and for this reason he feared to send him.

And the famine increased and became severe in the land of Canaan, and in all lands except the land of Egypt, because many of the sons of the Egyptians had stored their seeds for food from the time when they saw Joseph storing seeds and gathering them in storehouses and preserving them for the years of famine.

And the people of Egypt ate during the first year of the famine.

But when Israel saw that the famine was very severe in the land, and that there was no deliverance, he said to his sons: "Go again, and seek food, that we may not die."

And they said: "We will not go unless our youngest brother goes with us, we will not go."

And Israel saw that if he did not send him with them, they would all perish because of the famine.

And Reuben said: "Give him into my hand, and if I do not bring him back to you, kill my two sons in place of his life." And he said to him: "He will not go with you."

And Judah came near and said: "Send him with me, and if I do not bring him back with me, let me bear the blame before you all the days of my life."

And he sent him with them in the second year of this week on the first day of the month, and they came to the land of Egypt with all those who had gone, and had presents in their hands, stacte and almonds and oak nuts and pure honey.

And they went and stood before Joseph, and he saw Benjamin, his brother, and he knew him, and said to them: "Is this your youngest brother?" And they said to him: "It is he." And he said: "The Lord be gracious to you, my son!"

And he sent him to his house and brought Simeon to them and he made a feast for them, and they presented to him the presents which they brought in their hands.

And they ate before him and he gave each of them a portion, but Benjamin's portion was seven times greater than any of theirs.

And they ate and drank and arose and mounted their donkeys.

And Joseph devised a plan by which he might know their thoughts whether thoughts of peace prevailed among them, and he said to the commissioner who was over his house: "Fill all their sacks with food, and return their money into their vessels, and my cup, the silver cup from which I drink, put in the youngest's sack, and send them away."