Genesis 45

Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers

1Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ 12And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. 13You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and 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; and after that his brothers talked with him.

16When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house, “Joseph's brothers have come,” Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your animals and go back to the land of Canaan. 18Take your father and your households and come to me, so that I may give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you may enjoy the fat of the land.’ 19You are further charged to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20Give no thought to your possessions, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”

21The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons according to the instruction of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22To each one of them he gave a set of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of garments. 23To his father he sent the following: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. 24Then he sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Do not quarrel#45.24 Or be agitated along the way.”

25So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26And they told him, “Joseph is still alive! He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt.” He was stunned; he could not believe them. 27But when they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.”

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Genesis 45

Joseph Deals Kindly with His Brothers

1Then Joseph could not control himself in front of everyone standing before him, and he shouted, “Have everyone leave me!” So there #45:1 Lit stoodwas no one with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2Then he #45:2 Lit gave forth his voice in weepingwept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard about it. 3And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were terrified in his presence.

4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come #45:4 Lit nearcloser to me.” And they came #45:4 Lit nearcloser. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold to Egypt. 5Now do not be grieved or angry #45:5 Lit in your eyeswith yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you #45:5 Lit for preservation of lifeto save lives. 6For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7So God sent me ahead of you to ensure for you a remnant on the earth, and to #45:7 As in MT; another reading (cf. LXX) keep alive for you a great remnantkeep you alive by a great deliverance. 8Now, therefore, 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 say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10For you shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your #45:10 Lit children’s childrengrandchildren, and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. 11There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.” ’ 12Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. 13Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” 14Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15And he kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

16Now when the #45:16 Lit voicenews was heard in Pharaoh’s house #45:16 Lit saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come”that Joseph’s brothers had come, it #45:16 Lit was good in the eyes ofpleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your livestock and #45:17 Lit come, gogo to the land of Canaan, 18and take your father and your households and come to me; and I will give you the #45:18 Lit goodbest of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ 19Now you are ordered, ‘Do this: #45:19 Lit take for yourselvestake wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. 20And do not #45:20 Lit let your eye look with regret upon your vesselsconcern yourselves with your property, for the #45:20 Lit goodbest of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”

21Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the #45:21 Lit mouthcommand of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22To #45:22 Lit all of them he gave each maneach of them he gave changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. 23And to his father he sent #45:23 Lit like thisthe following: ten male donkeys loaded with the #45:23 Lit goodbest things of Egypt, ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and sustenance for his father #45:23 Lit foron the journey.

24So he sent his brothers away, and #45:24 Lit they departed; and he saidas they departed, he said to them, “Do not #45:24 Lit be agitatedquarrel on the journey.” 25Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan, to their father Jacob. 26And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But #45:26 Lit his heart grew numbhe was stunned, for he did not believe them. 27When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, then the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

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