Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals His Identity
1Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!”
So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household soon heard of it.
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”
But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence.
4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so.
“I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt! 5And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you. 6For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. 7God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.#45:7 Or and to keep you alive as a great band of survivors 8Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Joseph Sends for His Father
9Now return quickly to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay. 10You shall settle in the land of Goshen and be near me—you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. 11And there I will provide for you, because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you and your household and everything you own will come to destitution.’
12Behold! You and my brother Benjamin can see that I, Joseph, am the one speaking with you. 13Tell my father about all my splendor in Egypt and everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
14Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced. 15Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.
Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt
16When the news reached Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.
17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do as follows: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan. 18Then bring your father and your families and return to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat from the fat of the land.’ 19You are also directed to tell them: ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives, and bring your father and come back. 20But pay no regard to your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
21So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. 22He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver #45:22 300 shekels is approximately 7.5 pounds or 3.4 kilograms of silver. and five sets of clothes. 23And he sent to his father the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father’s journey.
24Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way!”
The Revival of Jacob
25So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26“Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!”
But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them. 27However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.
28“Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”
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Genesis 45
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.”
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