The Book Of Jubilees Chapter 43

Yoseph reveals himself to his brothers

1 And he did as Yoseph had told him, and filled all their sacks for them with food and put their money in their sacks, and put the cup in Benjamin's sack.

2 And early in the morning they departed, and it came to pass that, when they had gone from there, Yoseph said to the steward of his house: 'Pursue them, run and seize them, saying, "For good you have requited me with evil; you have stolen from me the silver cup out of which my lord drinks." And bring back to me their youngest brother, and fetch (him) quickly before I go forth to my seat of judgment.'

3 And he ran after them and said to them according to these words.

4 And they said to him: 'YAHWEH forbid that your servants should do this thing, and steal from the house of your lord any utensil, and the money also which we found in our sacks the first time, we your servants brought back from the land of Canaan.

5 How then should we steal any utensil? Behold here are we and our sacks search, and wherever you find the cup in the sack of any man amongst us, let him be slain, and we and our asses will serve your lord.'

6 And he said to them: 'Not so, the man with whom I find, him only shall I take as a servant, and you shall return in shalom unto your house.'

7 And as he was searching in their vessels, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest, it was found in Benjamin's sack.

8 And they rent their garments, and laded their asses, and returned to the city and came to the house of Yoseph, and they all bowed themselves on their faces to the ground before him.

9 And Yoseph said to them: 'You have done evil.' And they said: 'What shall we say and how shall we defend ourselves? Our lord has discovered the transgression of his servants; behold we are the servants of our lord, and our asses also.'

10 And Yoseph said to them: 'I too fear YAHWEH; as for you, go you to your homes and let your brother be my servant, for you have done evil. Know you not that a man delights in his cup as I with this cup?

11 And yet you have stolen it from me.' And Yahudah said: 'O my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord's ear two brothers did your servant's mother bear to our father: one went away and was lost, and has not been found, and he alone is left of his mother, and your servant our father loves him, and his life also is bound up with the life of this (lad).

12 And it will come to pass, when we go to your servant our father, and the lad is not with us, that he will die, and we shall bring down our father with sorrow unto death.

13 Now rather let me, your servant, abide instead of the boy as a bondsman unto my lord, and let the lad go with his brethren, for I became surety for him at the hand of your servant our father, and if I do not bring him back, your servant will hear the blame to our father forever.'

14 And Yoseph saw that they were all accordant in goodness one with another, and he could not refrain himself, and he told them that he was Yoseph.

15 And he conversed with them in the Hebrew tongue and fell on their neck and wept.

16 But they knew him not and they began to weep. And he said to them: 'Weep not over me, but hasten and bring my father to me; and you see that it is my mouth that speaks and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see.

17 For behold this is the second year of the famine, and there are

18 still five years without harvest or fruit of trees or ploughing. Come down quickly you and your households, so that you perish not through the famine, and do not be grieved for your possessions, for YAHWEH sent me before you to set things in order that many people might live.

19 And tell my father that I am still alive, and you, behold, you see that YAHWEH has made me as a father to Pharaoh, and ruler over his house and over all the land of Egypt.

20 And tell my father of all my splendor, and all the riches and splendor that YAHWEH has given me.'

21 And by the command of the mouth of Pharaoh he gave them chariots and provisions for the way, and he gave them all many-colored raiment and silver.

21 And to their father he sent raiment and silver and ten asses which carried corn, and he sent them away.

23 And they went up and told their father that Yoseph was alive, and was measuring out corn to all the nations of the earth, and that he was ruler over all the land of Egypt.

24 And their father did not believe it, for he was beside himself in his mind; but when he saw the wagons which Yoseph had sent, the life of his spirit revived, and he said: 'It is enough for me if Yoseph lives; I will go down and see him before I die.'