The three days in the Egyptian prison were days of bitter sorrow as the brothers reflected upon their past sins. Unless Benjamin could be produced their conviction as spies appeared certain, and they had little hope of gaining their father's consent to Benjamin's absence. On the third day Joseph caused the brothers to be brought before him. He dared not detain them longer. 226 Already his father and the families with him might be suffering for food. "This do, and live," he said; "for I fear God; if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: but bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die." This proposition they agreed to accept, though expressing little hope that their father would let Benjamin return with them. Joseph had communicated with them through an interpreter, and having no thought that the governor understood them, they conversed freely with one another in his presence. They accused themselves in regard to their treatment of Joseph: "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us." Reuben, who had formed the plan for delivering him at Dothan, added, "Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required." Joseph, listening, could not control his emotions, and he went out and wept. On his return he commanded that Simeon be bound before them and again committed to prison. In the cruel treatment of their brother, Simeon had been the instigator and chief actor, and it was for this reason that the choice fell upon him.

De tre dage i det ægyptiske fængsel var fulde af bitter sorg, idet brødrene tænkte på deres tidligere synder. Hvis Benjamin ikke kunne komme, ville de uden tvivl blive erklæret for at være spejdere, og de havde kun ringe håb om at få deres faders samtykke til at lade Benjamin rejse. Den tredje dag lod Josef brødrene hente til sig. Han turde ikke vente længere. Hans fader og deres familier led måske allerede sult. Han sagde: "Vil I beholde livet, så skal I gøre således, thi jeg er en mand, der frygter Gud: Er I virkelig ærlige folk, lad så en af Eder blive tilbage som fange i det fængsel, som I sad i, mens I andre drager hjem med korn til at stille hungeren i Eders huse; og bring så Eders yngste broder til mig, så skal Eders ord stå til troende, og I skal slippe for at dø!" Dette forslag blev de enige om at gå ind på, selv om de kun havde ringe håb om, at deres fader ville lade Benjamin rejse med dem. Josef havde forhandlet med dem gennem tolk, og da de ikke havde anelse om, at statholderen kunne forstå dem, talte de frit med hinanden i hans nærværelse. De bebrejdede sig selv for den behandling, de havde givet Josef: "Sandelig, nu må vi bøde for, hvad vi forbrød mod vor broder, da vi så hans sjælevånde, medens han bønfaldt os, og dog ikke hørte ham; derfor stedes vi nu i denne vånde!" Ruben, der havde planlagt at befri Josef i Dotan, tilføjede: "Sagde jeg Eder ikke dengang: "Forsynd Eder ikke mod drengen ! Men I ville ikke høre; se, nu kræves hans blod!" Da Josef hørte dette, kunne han ikke længere beherske sine følelser, men gik udenfor og græd. Da han kom tilbage, befalede han, at Simeon skulle bindes for deres øjne og igen sættes i fængsel. I deres grusomme behandling af deres broder havde Simeon været anstifteren og hovedmanden, og det var derfor, valget faldt på ham.