Joseph’s father, Jacob, tells his ten oldest sons to go to Egypt to buy grain. They look at each other, remembering twenty years earlier when they sold their younger brother into slavery. Jacob demands that they go, so they don’t all starve to death during the famine that is upon them.

Jacob also insists on keeping his youngest son Benjamin home. He is, as far as Jacob knows, the last surviving son of his beloved wife Rachel. 

The brothers arrive in Egypt to purchase grain and go to Joseph, who is the governor appointed by Pharaoh. They bow before him, but do not recognize him with his strange clothes and foreign name. He, however, recognizes them. To hide his identity, he speaks roughly and questions them. “Where are you from?” He asks them if they are spies come to see the nakedness of the land. They protest, saying that they are a family of twelve brothers.

Joseph asks them where the other two brothers are. They say that one is at home and one is no more. He demands one be held while the rest go to bring their youngest back as proof of their story. They argue amongst themselves. Ruben blames them for selling their brother. Joseph is so overwhelmed he excuses himself to cry. In the end, the brothers leave Simeon and go back home with the grain. 

Joseph plays a trick on them by putting the money that they paid for the grain in the sacks with the grain on their way home. Their Dad, Jacob, is fearful that they have lost Simeon and will risk the life of Benjamin as well if they go back. Ruben tells him he can have his two sons if he doesn’t return with both Simeon and Benjamin. Jacob does not relent, so they stay home and eat the grain that they’ve bought.