A reading from the book of Genesis. Now the famine was severe in the land, 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.

But Judah said to him, the man solemnly warned us, saying, you shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.

If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 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. Israel said, why did you treat me so

badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?

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?

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.

I will be a pledge of his safety.

From my hand you shall require him.

If I do not bring him back to you and set him before

you, then let me bear the blame forever.

If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice."

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, myr, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

Take double the money with you, carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks.

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