18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, ^vfor I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry ^wgrain for the famine of your households, 20 and ^xbring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, ^y“In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” 22 And Reuben answered them, ^z“Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now ^athere comes a reckoning for his blood.” 23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and ^bwept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 ^cAnd Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

26 Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed. 27 And as ^done of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at ^ethe lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”