Genesis 45

Joseph Shows Kindness to His Brothers

1Then Joseph could not control himself [any longer] in front of all those who attended him, and he called out, “Have everyone leave me.” So no man stood there when Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. 2Joseph wept aloud, and the Egyptians [who had just left him] heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. 3Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless, for they were stunned and dismayed by [the fact that they were in] Joseph’s presence.

4And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they approached him. And he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5Now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to save life and preserve our family. 6For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five more years in which there will be no plowing and harvesting. 7God sent me [to Egypt] ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great escape. 8So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9Hurry and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘Your son Joseph says this to you: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10You shall live in the land of Goshen [the best pasture land of Egypt], and you shall be close to me—you and your children and your grandchildren, your flocks and your herds and all you have. 11There I will provide for you and sustain you, so that you and your household and all that are yours may not become impoverished, for there are still five years of famine to come.” ’ 12Look! Your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that I am speaking to you [personally in your language and not through an interpreter]. 13Now you must tell my father of all my splendor and power in Egypt, and of everything that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” 14Then he embraced his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

16When the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: load your animals and return to the land of Canaan [without delay], 18and get your father and your households and come to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat (the finest produce) of the land.’ 19Now you [brothers of Joseph] are ordered [by Pharaoh], ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. 20Do not be concerned with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”

21Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22To each of them Joseph gave changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. 23To his father he sent the following: ten male donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father [to supply all who were with him] on the journey.

24So he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “See that you do not quarrel on the journey [about how to explain this to our father].” 25So they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father, 26and they said to him, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But Jacob was stunned and his heart almost stopped beating, because he did not believe them. 27When they told him everything that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28And Israel (Jacob) said, “It is enough! Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

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Genesis 45

Joseph Reveals Himself

1Now Joseph could no longer restrain himself in front of all those who were standing by him, so he cried out, “Get everyone away from me!” So no one stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

2But he gave his voice to weeping so that the Egyptians heard, and Pharaoh’s household heard.

3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” And his brothers were unable to answer him because they were terrified at his presence.

4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” So they came near. “I’m Joseph, your brother—the one you sold to Egypt,” he said.

5“So now, don’t be grieved and don’t be angry in your own eyes that you sold me here—since it was for preserving life that God sent me here before you.

6For there has been two years of famine in the land, and there will be five more years yet with no plowing or harvesting.

7But God sent me ahead of you to ensure a remnant in the land and to keep you alive for a great escape.

8So now, it wasn’t you, you didn’t send me here, but God! And He made me as a father to Pharaoh, lord over his whole house and ruler over the entire land of Egypt.

9“Go up quickly to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son, Joseph: God has made me lord over all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t delay.

10Then you’ll live in the land of Goshen, and be close to me, you and your children and your children’s children, your flocks and your cattle, and everything that belongs to you.

11I’ll provide food for you there—for the famine will last another five years—otherwise you’ll lose everything, you and your household, and everything that belongs to you.’

12And look, you and my brother Benjamin can see with your own eyes that it’s my mouth that’s speaking to you.

13You must tell my father about all my honor in Egypt, and about all that you’ve seen. And you must quickly bring my father down here.”

14Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept while Benjamin wept upon his neck,

15and he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. Finally after this, his brothers talked with him.

16When the commotion was heard in Pharaoh’s house—“Joseph’s brothers have come!”—it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants,

17So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers: ‘Do this! Load your animals and go to the land of Canaan.

18Then get your father, your households, and come to me. I’ll give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’

19You are also commanded to say: “Do this! Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little children and for your wives, and pick up your father and come.

20Don’t be concerned about your goods, because the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

21So the sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them carts by Pharaoh’s command and he gave them provisions for the journey.

22To each of them he gave a change of clothes, while to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five sets of clothes.

23Also to his father he sent the following: ten donkeys carrying from the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys carrying grain and food and provisions for his father’s journey.

24Then he sent his brothers off, and as they departed, he said to them, “Don’t be anxious on the way.”

25Then they went up from Egypt and came to the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.

26They told him saying, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler of the whole land of Egypt!” His heart went numb, for he did not believe them.

27But they told him all of Joseph’s words that he had told them. When he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to pick him up, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

28Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him, before I die.”

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