Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals His Identity
1Joseph could no longer control his emotions in front of everyone who was standing around him, so he cried out, “Have everyone leave me!” No one else was there when Joseph told his brothers who he was. 2He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were afraid of him.
4“Please come closer to me,” Joseph said to his brothers. When they did so, he said, “I am Joseph, the brother you sold into slavery in Egypt! 5Now, don’t be sad or angry with yourselves that you sold me. God sent me ahead of you to save lives. 6The famine has been in the land for two years. There will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. 7God sent me ahead of you to make sure that you would have descendants on the earth and to save your lives in an amazing way. 8It wasn’t you who sent me here, but God. He has made me ⌞like⌟ a father to Pharaoh, lord over his entire household, and ruler of Egypt.
9“Hurry back to my father, and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of Egypt. Come here to me right away! 10Live in the land of Goshen, where you will be near me. Live there with your children and your grandchildren, as well as your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11I will provide for you in Egypt, since there will be five more years of famine. Then you, your family, and all who belong to you won’t lose everything.” ’
12“You and my brother Benjamin can see for yourselves that I am the one who is speaking to you. 13Tell my father how greatly honored I am in Egypt and about everything you have seen. Hurry and bring my father here!”
14He threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and cried with Benjamin, who was crying on his shoulder. 15He kissed all his brothers and cried with them. After that his brothers talked with him.
Pharaoh Invites Jacob’s [Israel’s] Family to Live in Egypt
16When Pharaoh’s household heard the news that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his officials were pleased. 17So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Load up your animals, and go back to Canaan. 18Take your father and your families, and come to me. I will give you the best land in Egypt. Then you can enjoy the best food in the land.’
19“Give them this order: ‘Take wagons with you from Egypt for your children and your wives. Bring your father, and come back. 20Don’t worry about your belongings because the best of everything in Egypt is yours.’ ”
21Israel’s sons did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons and supplies for their trip as Pharaoh had ordered. 22He gave each of them a change of clothes, but he gave Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes. 23He sent his father ten male donkeys carrying Egypt’s best products and ten female donkeys carrying grain, bread, and food for his father’s trip. 24So Joseph sent his brothers on their way. As they were leaving, he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on your way back!”
25So they left Egypt and came to their father Jacob in Canaan. 26They told him, “Joseph is still alive! Yes, he is ruler of Egypt.” Jacob was stunned and didn’t believe them. 27Yet, when they told their father everything Joseph had said to them and he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to bring him back, his spirits were lifted.
28“You have convinced me!” Israel said. “My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Genesis 45
45
1And Joseph hath not been able to refrain himself before all those standing by him, and he calleth, ‘Put out every man from me;’ and no man hath stood with him when Joseph maketh himself known unto his brethren,
2and he giveth forth his voice in weeping, and the Egyptians hear, and the house of Pharaoh heareth.
3And Joseph saith unto his brethren, ‘I [am] Joseph, is my father yet alive?’ and his brethren have not been able to answer him, for they have been troubled at his presence.
4And Joseph saith unto his brethren, ‘Come nigh unto me, I pray you,’ and they come nigh; and he saith, ‘I [am] Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt;
5and now, be not grieved, nor let it be displeasing in your eyes that ye sold me hither, for to preserve life hath God sent me before you.
6‘Because these two years the famine [is] in the heart of the land, and yet [are] five years, [in] which there is neither ploughing nor harvest;
7and God sendeth me before you, to place of you a remnant in the land, and to give life to you by a great escape;
8and now, ye — ye have not sent me hither, but God, and He doth set me for a father to Pharaoh, and for lord to all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
9‘Haste, and go up unto my father, then ye have said to him, Thus said Joseph thy son, God hath set me for lord to all Egypt; come down unto me, stay not,
10and thou hast dwelt in the land of Goshen, and been near unto me, thou and thy sons, and thy son's sons, and thy flock, and thy herd, and all that thou hast,
11and I have nourished thee there — for yet [are] five years of famine — lest thou become poor, thou and thy household, and all that thou hast.
12‘And lo, your eyes are seeing, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth which is speaking unto you;
13and ye have declared to my father all my honour in Egypt, and all that ye have seen, and ye have hasted, and have brought down my father hither.’
14And he falleth on the neck of Benjamin his brother, and weepeth, and Benjamin hath wept on his neck;
15and he kisseth all his brethren, and weepeth over them; and afterwards have his brethren spoken with him.
16And the sound hath been heard in the house of Pharaoh, saying, ‘Come have the brethren of Joseph;’ and it is good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants,
17and Pharaoh saith unto Joseph, ‘Say unto thy brethren, This do ye: lade your beasts, and go, enter ye the land of Canaan,
18and take your father, and your households, and come unto me, and I give to you the good of the land of Egypt, and eat ye the fat of the land.
19‘Yea, thou — thou hast been commanded: this do ye, take for yourselves out of the land of Egypt, waggons for your infants, and for your wives, and ye have brought your father, and come;
20and your eye hath no pity on your vessels, for the good of all the land of Egypt [is] yours.’
21And the sons of Israel do so, and Joseph giveth waggons to them by the command of Pharaoh, and he giveth to them provision for the way;
22to all of them hath he given — to each changes of garments, and to Benjamin he hath given three hundred silverlings, and five changes of garments;
23and to his father he hath sent thus: ten asses bearing of the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses bearing corn and bread, even food for his father for the way.
24And he sendeth his brethren away, and they go; and he saith unto them, ‘Be not angry in the way.’
25And they go up out of Egypt, and come in to the land of Canaan, unto Jacob their father,
26and they declare to him, saying, ‘Joseph [is] yet alive,’ and that he [is] ruler over all the land of Egypt; and his heart ceaseth, for he hath not given credence to them.
27And they speak unto him all the words of Joseph, which he hath spoken unto them, and he seeth the waggons which Joseph hath sent to bear him away, and live doth the spirit of Jacob their father;
28and Israel saith, ‘Enough! Joseph my son [is] yet alive; I go and see him before I die.’
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