¹ When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” ² He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” ³ Then ten of Joseph`s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. <sup>4</sup> But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph`s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. ⁵ So Israel`s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also. <sup>6</sup> Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph`s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. ⁷ As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.” ⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.