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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Genesis 45

Joseph Reveals His Identity

1Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants,#45:1 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 grieved 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.#45:7 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 your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, 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 the eyes of my brother Benjamin can see that I’m#45:12 Lit that my mouth is the one 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 his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. 15Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept,#45:15 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 to tell them, ‘Do this: Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your dependents 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 three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes.#Gn 43:34 23He sent his father the following: ten donkeys carrying the best products of Egypt and ten 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#45:24 Or be anxious 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,#45:26 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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