וְהָיָ֗ה כִּרְאוֹת֛וֹ כִּי־אֵ֥ין הַנַּ֖עַר וָמֵ֑ת וְהוֹרִ֨ידוּ עֲבָדֶ֜יךָ אֶת־שֵׂיבַ֨ת עַבְדְּךָ֥ אָבִ֛ינוּ בְּיָג֖וֹן שְׁאֹֽלָה׃

it will be when he sees that the lad is not with us; he will die from excessive grief. Your servants will cause the old age of your servant, my father, to descend in sorrow to the grave. We will have caused our father’s death.

כִּ֤י עַבְדְּךָ֙ עָרַ֣ב אֶת־הַנַּ֔עַר מֵעִ֥ם אָבִ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־לֹ֤א אֲבִיאֶ֙נּוּ֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְחָטָ֥אתִי לְאָבִ֖י כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

Judah now explains why he is the one speaking on behalf of his brothers: For your servant personally guaranteed the lad to my father, saying: If I do not bring him to you, I will have sinned to my father forever, and my transgression will accompany me always.

וְעַתָּ֗ה יֵֽשֶׁב־נָ֤א עַבְדְּךָ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַנַּ֔עַר עֶ֖בֶד לַֽאדֹנִ֑י וְהַנַּ֖עַר יַ֥עַל עִם־אֶחָֽיו׃

Now, please, as it is my responsibility to ensure that Benjamin returns home at whatever cost, I suggest the following: Your servant will remain in place of the lad as a slave to my lord. Take me for a slave in his place; and the lad shall go up, return home, with his brothers.

כִּי־אֵיךְ֙ אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה אֶל־אָבִ֔י וְהַנַּ֖עַר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ אִתִּ֑י פֶּ֚ן אֶרְאֶ֣ה בָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְצָ֖א אֶת־אָבִֽי׃

For how will I go up to my father, and the lad is not with me? I cannot go, lest I see the woe that shall find my father. I am unable to bear the thought of my father’s reaction, and I will do anything to avoid witnessing it with my own eyes. Of course Jacob would not be pleased even if a different brother had to remain as a slave in Egypt, but due to his exceptional love for Benjamin, his loss would be far worse if Joseph’s demand were accepted.

וְלֹֽא־יָכֹ֨ל יוֹסֵ֜ף לְהִתְאַפֵּ֗ק לְכֹ֤ל הַנִּצָּבִים֙ עָלָ֔יו וַיִּקְרָ֕א הוֹצִ֥יאוּ כָל־אִ֖ישׁ מֵעָלָ֑י וְלֹא־עָ֤מַד אִישׁ֙ אִתּ֔וֹ בְּהִתְוַדַּ֥ע יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶל־אֶחָֽיו׃

Joseph could not restrain from revealing himself, but he nevertheless held back before all those standing before him so as not to embarrass his brothers publicly by disclosing to the servants and guards that were present the fact that they had sold him to Egypt. And he called: Remove every man from before me. No other man stood with him when Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. Another explanation for Joseph’s instructions is that his servants supported Judah’s proposal and attempted to convince Joseph to accept it, as the lost goblet had been found. Furthermore, Judah’s noble offer had left a profound impression on them. Joseph therefore requested that they exit the room.

וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ בִּבְכִ֑י וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹֽה׃

He raised his voice in weeping. Joseph had wept previously, but now he was able to cry openly in his brothers’ presence and did not have to exit the room to do so. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. Although the Egyptians who had been present had moved to another room or left the house entirely, they could still hear the sound of his weeping.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ אֲנִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף הַע֥וֹד אָבִ֖י חָ֑י וְלֹֽא־יָכְל֤וּ אֶחָיו֙ לַעֲנ֣וֹת אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֥י נִבְהֲל֖וּ מִפָּנָֽיו׃

Joseph said to his brothers: I am Joseph, and then immediately asked: Does my father still live? And his brothers could not answer him because they were alarmed before him. Joseph, of course, knew who they were the entire time, but the brothers were overcome by confusion and fear over the sudden revelation. Until now, they considered Joseph to be lost, even if they may have dreamt that one day they would discover him as a slave somewhere and possibly even free him. However, now he is present before them as an eminent personality, their apparent antagonist, the ruler in whose hands their fate rests.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶל־אֶחָ֛יו גְּשׁוּ־נָ֥א אֵלַ֖י וַיִּגָּ֑שׁוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֲנִי֙ יוֹסֵ֣ף אֲחִיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃

Joseph said to his brothers: Please approach me, and they approached silently, as they were not yet able to speak. He said again: I am Joseph your brother whom you sold to Egypt. In this repetition he is no longer revealing his identity; rather, Joseph is emphasizing that he is still their brother.

וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ אַל־תֵּעָ֣צְב֗וּ וְאַל־יִ֙חַר֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י הֵ֑נָּה כִּ֣י לְמִֽחְיָ֔ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים לִפְנֵיכֶֽם׃

However, now all that is in the past; do not be sad, and do not become incensed with yourselves that you sold me here; it was for sustenance that God sent me before you. If you wish, you can consider the entire matter from a different perspective. Look at all that transpired in the wake of the sale. Because I was taken to Egypt, I am now capable of supporting our family.

כִּי־זֶ֛ה שְׁנָתַ֥יִם הָרָעָ֖ב בְּקֶ֣רֶב הָאָ֑רֶץ וְעוֹד֙ חָמֵ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־חָרִ֖ישׁ וְקָצִּֽיר׃

For these past two years the famine is in the midst of the land, and there are an additional five years during which there shall be neither plowing nor harvest, in accordance with Pharaoh’s dream.

וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם לָכֶ֛ם שְׁאֵרִ֖ית בָּאָ֑רֶץ וּלְהַחֲי֣וֹת לָכֶ֔ם לִפְלֵיטָ֖ה גְּדֹלָֽה׃

God sent me before you to establish for you a remnant in the land, as I will support you, and to sustain you for a great deliverance.