7. The brothers answered, “He asked lots of questions. He wanted to know all about us and about our family. He asked us, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother at home?’ We only answered his questions. We didn’t know he would ask us to bring our brother to him!”
8. Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Let Benjamin go with me. I will take care of him. We have to go to Egypt to get food. If we don’t go, we will all die—including our children.
9. I will make sure he is safe. I will be responsible for him. If I don’t bring him back to you, you can blame me forever.
10. If you had let us go before, we could have already made two trips for food.”
11. Then their father Israel said, “If it is really true, take Benjamin with you. But take some gifts to the governor. Take some of the things we have been able to gather in our land. Take him some honey, pistachio nuts, almonds, spices, and myrrh.
12. Take twice as much money with you this time. Take the money that was given back to you after you paid last time. Maybe the governor made a mistake.
13. Take Benjamin, and go back to the man.