Genesis 45

Joseph Tells His Brothers Who He Is

1Joseph couldn’t control himself anymore in front of all his attendants. He cried out, “Have everyone leave me!” So there wasn’t anyone with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was. 2He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. Everyone in Pharaoh’s house heard about it.

3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers weren’t able to answer him. They were too afraid of him.

4Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” So they did. Then he said, “I am your brother Joseph. I’m the one you sold into Egypt. 5But don’t be upset. And don’t be angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me ahead of you to save many lives. 6For two years now, there hasn’t been enough food in the land. And for the next five years, people won’t be plowing or gathering crops. 7But God sent me ahead of you to keep some of you alive on earth. He sent me here to save your lives by an act of mighty power.

8“So then, it wasn’t you who sent me here. It was God. He made me like a father to Pharaoh. He made me master of Pharaoh’s entire house. God made me ruler of the whole land of Egypt. 9Now hurry back to my father. Say to him, ‘Your son Joseph says, “God has made me master of the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t waste any time. 10You will live in the area of Goshen. You, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you have will be near me. 11There I will provide everything you need. There are still five years to come when there won’t be enough food. If you don’t come down here, you and your family and everyone who belongs to you will lose everything.” ’

12“My brothers, I am Joseph. You can see for yourselves that I am the one speaking to you. My brother Benjamin can see it too. 13Tell my father about all the honor given to me in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”

14Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept. Benjamin also hugged him and wept. 15Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After that, his brothers talked with him.

16The news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come. Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Here’s what I want you to tell your brothers. Say to them, ‘Load your animals. Return to the land of Canaan. 18Bring your father and your families back to me. I’ll give you the best land in Egypt. You can enjoy all the good things in the land.’

19“And here’s something else I want you to tell them. Say to them, ‘Take some carts from Egypt. Your children and your wives can use them. Get your father and come back. 20Don’t worry about the things you have back there. The best of everything in Egypt will belong to you.’ ”

21Then the sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded. He also gave them supplies for their journey. 22He gave new clothes to each of them. But he gave Benjamin more than seven pounds of silver. He also gave him five sets of clothes. 23He sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt. He also sent ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies for his journey. 24Then Joseph sent his brothers away. As they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t argue on the way!”

25So they went up out of Egypt. They came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of the whole land of Egypt.” Jacob was shocked. He didn’t believe them. 27So they told him everything Joseph had said to them. Jacob saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back. That gave new life to their father Jacob. 28Israel said, “I believe it now! My son Joseph is still alive. I’ll go and see him before I die.”

Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®

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Berĕshith (Genesis) 45

1And Yosĕph was unable to restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he called out, “Have everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Yosĕph made himself known to his brothers.

2And he wept aloud, and the Mitsrites and the house of Pharaoh heard it.

3And Yosĕph said to his brothers, “I am Yosĕph, is my father still alive?” But his brothers were unable to answer him, for they trembled before him.

4Then Yosĕph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” And when they came near, he said, “I am Yosĕph your brother, whom you sold into Mitsrayim.

5“And now, do not be grieved nor displeased with yourselves because you sold me here, for Elohim sent me before you to preserve life.

6“For two years now the scarcity of food has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there is neither ploughing nor harvesting.

7“And Elohim sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to give life to you by a great escape.

8So then, you did not send me here, but Elohim. And He has set me for a father to Pharaoh, and master of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Mitsrayim.”

9Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Yosĕph, Elohim has made me master of all Mitsrayim. Come down to me, do not delay.

10“And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have.

11“And I shall provide for you there, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty, because five years of scarcity of food are still to come.” ’

12“And look, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Binyamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

13“And you shall inform my father of all my esteem in Mitsrayim, and of all that you have seen. And you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”

14And he fell on his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck.

15And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers spoke with him.

16And the report of it was heard by the house of Pharaoh, saying, “The brothers of Yosĕph have come.” And it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants.

17And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your beasts and go, enter the land of Kena‛an,

18and take your father and your households and come to me, and I give you the best of the land of Mitsrayim, and you eat the fat of the land.

19And you, you have been commanded, do this: Take wagons out of the land of Mitsrayim for your little ones and your wives. And you shall bring your father, and come.

20And do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Mitsrayim is yours.’ ”

21And the sons of Yisra’ĕl did so. And Yosĕph gave them wagons, according to the mouth of Pharaoh, and he gave them food for the journey.

22He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments, but to Binyamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.

23And he sent to his father this: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Mitsrayim, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, and bread, and food for his father for the journey.

24So he sent his brothers away, and they left. And he said to them, “Do not quarrel along the way.”

25And they went up out of Mitsrayim, and came to the land of Kena‛an to Ya‛aqoḇ their father.

26And they told him, saying, “Yosĕph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Mitsrayim.” And Ya‛aqoḇ’s heart ceased, for he did not believe them.

27But when they spoke to him all the words which Yosĕph had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons which Yosĕph had sent to transport him, the spirit of Ya‛aqoḇ their father revived.

28And Yisra’ĕl said, “Enough! My son Yosĕph is still alive. Let me go and see him before I die.”

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