At that time Judah left his brothers and stayed with an Adullamite man named Hirah.

He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die.”

But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’

If you take this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair in tragedy to the grave.’

When he sees the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave.

So tell my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”

He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there. Joseph will close your eyes.”

“Before I finished praying in my heart, along came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt.

They replied, “The man questioned us thoroughly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we answered him in this way. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man – a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

Now go up to my father quickly and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay!