Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals Who He Is
1Joseph could not control himself in front of his servants any longer. He cried out, “Have everyone leave me.” When only the brothers were left with Joseph, he told them who he was. 2Joseph cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. And the people in the king’s palace heard about it. 3He said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But the brothers could not answer him, because they were very afraid of him.
4So Joseph said to them, “Come close to me.” So the brothers came close to him. And he said to them, “I am your brother Joseph. You sold me as a slave to go to Egypt. 5Now don’t be worried. Don’t be angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me here ahead of you to save people’s lives. 6No food has grown on the land for two years now. And there will be five more years without planting or harvest. 7So God sent me here ahead of you. This was to make sure you have some descendants left on earth. And it was to keep you alive in an amazing way. 8So it was not you who sent me here, but God. God has made me the highest officer of the king of Egypt. I am in charge of his palace. I am the master of all the land of Egypt.
9“So leave quickly and go to my father. Tell him, ‘Your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all Egypt. Come down to me quickly. 10Live in the land of Goshen. You will be near me. Also your children, your grandchildren, your flocks and herds and all that you have will be near me. 11I will care for you during the next five years of hunger. In this way, you and your family and all that you have will not starve.’
12“Now you can see for yourselves. The one speaking to you is really Joseph. And my brother Benjamin can see this. 13So tell my father about how powerful I have become in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen. Now hurry and bring him back to me.” 14Then Joseph hugged his brother Benjamin and cried. And Benjamin cried also. 15Then Joseph kissed all his brothers. He cried as he hugged them. After this, his brothers talked with him.
16The king of Egypt and his officers learned that Joseph’s brothers had come. And they were very happy about this. 17So the king said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers to load their animals and go back to the land of Canaan. 18Tell them to bring their father and their families back here to me. I will give them the best land in Egypt. And they will eat the best food we have here. 19Tell them to take some wagons from Egypt for their children and their wives. And tell them to bring their father back also. 20Tell them not to worry about bringing any of their things with them. We will give them the best of what we have in Egypt.”
21So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them wagons as the king had ordered. And he gave them food for their trip. 22He gave each brother a change of clothes. But he gave Benjamin five changes of clothes. And Joseph gave him about seven and one-half pounds of silver. 23Joseph also sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt. And he sent ten female donkeys. They were loaded with grain, bread and other food for his father on his trip back. 24Then Joseph told his brothers to go. As they were leaving, he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way home.”
25So the brothers left Egypt and went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26They told him, “Joseph is still alive. He is the ruler over all the land of Egypt.” Their father was shocked and did not believe them. 27But the brothers told him everything Joseph had said. Then Jacob saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back to Egypt. Now Jacob felt better. 28Jacob, also called Israel, said, “Now I believe you. My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals His Identity
1Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, # Lit all those standing about him so he called out, “Send everyone away from me! ” No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers. # Ac 7:13 2But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh’s household heard it. 3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living? ” But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence.
4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt. # Gn 37:18-36 5And now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. # Gn 45:7-8; 50:20; Ps 105:17 6For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. 7God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. # Or keep alive for you many survivors 8Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
9“Return quickly to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay. 10You can settle in the land of Goshen # Gn 46:34; 47:1,4,6,11,27; 50:8; Ex 8:22; Jos 10:41 and be near me — you, your children, and grandchildren, your sheep, cattle, and all you have. 11There I will sustain you, for there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you, your household, and everything you have will become destitute.” ’ # Gn 47:12; 50:21 12Look! Your eyes and my brother Benjamin’s eyes can see that it is I , Joseph, who am # Lit that my mouth is speaking to you. 13Tell my father about all my glory in Egypt and about all you have seen. And bring my father here quickly.” # Ac 7:14
14Then Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. 15Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept, # Lit brothers, and he wept over them and afterward his brothers talked with him.
The Return for Jacob
16When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go on back to the land of Canaan. 18Get your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you can eat from the richness of the land.’ 19You are also commanded, ‘Do this: Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives and bring your father here. # Gn 46:5 20Do not be concerned about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ” # Dt 32:9-14
21The sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22He gave each of the brothers changes of clothes, # 2Kg 5:5 but he gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver and five changes of clothes. # Gn 43:34 23He sent his father the following: 10 donkeys carrying the best products of Egypt and 10 female donkeys carrying grain, food, and provisions for his father on the journey. 24So Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Don’t argue on the way.”
25So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26They said, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt! ” Jacob was stunned, # Lit Jacob’s heart was numb for he did not believe them. 27But when they told Jacob all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.
28Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go to see him before I die.”
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