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Genesis 42: Joseph's Brothers Come to Egypt

The famine reached Canaan, and Jacob sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain, keeping Benjamin at home. Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him, and they bowed before him as in his dreams. Joseph tested them by calling them spies, kept Simeon in prison, and demanded they bring Benjamin. The brothers confessed to one another their guilt for what they had done to Joseph. Joseph secretly returned their money, which frightened them. Jacob refused to let Benjamin go.

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Bible:

Read Genesis 42

World English Bible · 38 verses

  1. 1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  2. 2 He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  3. 3 Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  4. 4 But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  5. 5 The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  6. 6 Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  7. 7 Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  8. 8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  9. 9 Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  10. 10 They said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  11. 11 We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  12. 12 He said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land!”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  13. 13 They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is today with our father, and one is no more.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  14. 14 Joseph said to them, “It is like I told you, saying, ‘You are spies!’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  15. 15 By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  16. 16 Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  17. 17 He put them all together into custody for three days.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  18. 18 Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  19. 19 If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  20. 20 Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.” They did so.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  21. 21 They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn’t listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  22. 22 Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and you wouldn’t listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  23. 23 They didn’t know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  24. 24 He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  25. 25 Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain, and to restore each man’s money into his sack, and to give them food for the way. So it was done to them.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  26. 26 They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  27. 27 As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  28. 28 He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  29. 29 They came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  30. 30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  31. 31 We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are no spies.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  32. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of Canaan.’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  33. 33 The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  34. 34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  35. 35 As they emptied their sacks, behold, each man’s bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  36. 36 Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  37. 37 Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I don’t bring him to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him to you again.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  38. 38 He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

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Genesis 42 · Preschool

Brothers Buy Grain

Name Date

Color the bags of grain and the brothers. They traveled far to find food!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.”

Genesis 42:3 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: The brothers were hungry, and God had saved food in Egypt.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

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