Genesis 45
45
The Reconciliation of the Brothers
1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants,#tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.” so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained#tn Heb “stood.” with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept loudly;#tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud. the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.#tn Heb “and the Egyptians heard and the household of Pharaoh heard.” Presumably in the latter case this was by means of a report.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here,#tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.” for God sent me#sn You sold me here, for God sent me. The tension remains as to how the brothers’ wickedness and God’s intentions work together. Clearly God is able to transform the actions of wickedness to bring about some gracious end. But this is saying more than that; it is saying that from the beginning it was God who sent Joseph here. Although harmonization of these ideas remains humanly impossible, the divine intention is what should be the focus. Only that will enable reconciliation. ahead of you to preserve life! 6 For these past two years there has been famine in#tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.” the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me#sn God sent me. The repetition of this theme that God sent Joseph is reminiscent of commission narratives in which the leader could announce that God sent him (e.g., Exod 3:15). ahead of you to preserve you#tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition לְ (lÿ), means “to make.” on the earth and to save your lives#tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action. by a great deliverance. 8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser#tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children. to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Now go up to my father quickly#tn Heb “hurry and go up.” and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 10 You will live#tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction. in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me – you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11 I will provide you with food#tn The verb כּוּל (kul) in the Pilpel stem means “to nourish, to support, to sustain.” As in 1 Kgs 20:27, it here means “to supply with food.” there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you.#tn Heb “And, look, your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that my mouth is the one speaking to you.” 13 So tell#tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction. my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”#tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”
14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.
16 Now it was reported#tn Heb “and the sound was heard.” in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased#tn Heb “was good in the eyes of.” Pharaoh and his servants. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go#tn Heb “and go! Enter!” to the land of Canaan! 18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you#tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result. the best land in Egypt and you will eat#tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal. the best#tn Heb “fat.” of the land.’ 19 You are also commanded to say,#tn The words “to say” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 20 Don’t worry#tn Heb “let not your eye regard.” about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”
21 So the sons of Israel did as he said.#tn Heb “and the sons of Israel did so.” Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed,#tn Heb “according to the mouth of Pharaoh.” and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them,#tn Heb “to all of them he gave, to each one, changes of outer garments.” but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes.#tn Heb “changes of outer garments.” 23 To his father he sent the following:#tn Heb “according to this.” ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.”#tn Heb “do not be stirred up in the way.” The verb means “stir up.” Some understand the Hebrew verb רָגָז (ragaz, “to stir up”) as a reference to quarreling (see Prov 29:9, where it has this connotation), but in Exod 15:14 and other passages it means “to fear.” This might refer to a fear of robbers, but more likely it is an assuring word that they need not be fearful about returning to Egypt. They might have thought that once Jacob was in Egypt, Joseph would take his revenge on them.
25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.#tn Heb “and they entered the land of Canaan to their father.” 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned,#tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond. for he did not believe them. 27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them,#tn Heb “and they spoke to him all the words of Joseph which he had spoke to them.” and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”
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Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals His Identity
1Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. 2Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace.
3“I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 4“Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.#45:7 Or and to save you with an extraordinary rescue. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 8So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser#45:8 Hebrew a father. to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.
9“Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! 10You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. 11I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’”
12Then Joseph added, “Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! 13Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen, and then bring my father here quickly.” 14Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same. 15Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him.
Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt
16The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this.
17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. 18Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.’”
19Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here. 20Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
21So the sons of Jacob#45:21 Hebrew Israel; also in 45:28. See note on 35:21. did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey. 22And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces#45:22 Hebrew 300 [shekels], about 7.5 pounds or 3.4 kilograms in weight. of silver. 23He also sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need on his journey.
24So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, “Don’t quarrel about all this along the way!” 25And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.
26“Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it. 27But when they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits revived.
28Then Jacob exclaimed, “It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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