Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals His Identity
1Then Joseph was not able to control himself before all who were standing by him. And he cried out, “Make every man go out from me!” So no one stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2And he wept loudly,#Literally “he gave his voice with weeping” so that the Egyptians heard it and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” And his brothers were unable to answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. 4So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they drew near. And he said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5So now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves#Literally “in your eyes” that you sold me here, for God sent me as deliverance before you. 6For these two years the famine has been in the midst of the land, but there will be five more years where there is no plowing or harvest. 7And God sent me before you all to preserve for you a remnant in the land and to keep alive among you many survivors. 8So now, you yourselves did not send me here, but God put me here as father to Pharaoh and as master of all his household, and a 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 and do not delay. 10You shall settle in the land of Goshen so that you will be near me, you and your children and your grandchildren, and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. 11And I will provide for you there, because there are still five years of famine—lest you and your household and all that you have become destitute.’ 12Now behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is I#Literally “it is my mouth” who am speaking to you. 13And you must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt and all that you have seen. Now hurry and bring my father here.” 14Then he fell upon the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. And afterward his brothers spoke with him. 16Then the report was heard in the house of Pharaoh, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” And it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers: ‘Do this—load your donkeys and go back to the land of Canaan, 18and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ 19And you Joseph, are commanded to say this: ‘Do this! Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives, and bring your father and come! 20Do not worry#Literally “let not your eyes be troubled” about your possessions, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”
21And the sons of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them wagons at the word of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22To each and to all of them he gave sets of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothing. 23And to his father he sent as follows:#Literally “according to this” ten donkeys carrying the best of Egypt, and ten donkeys carrying grain and food and provisions for his father for the journey. 24Then he sent his brothers away, and when they departed he said to them, “Do not be agitated on the journey.” 25So they went up from Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26And they spoke to him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart went numb,#Or “became cold” because he did not believe him. 27Then 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 Jacob their father revived. 28And Israel 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
45
Joseph Makes Himself Known
1Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2And he wept 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 living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.#45:7 Or save you as a great band of survivors
8“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. 9Now hurry back 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; don’t delay. 10You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’
12“You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. 13Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
14Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.
16When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan, 18and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’
19“You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. 20Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours.’ ”
21So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. 22To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels#45:22 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms of silver and five sets of clothes. 23And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey. 24Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”
25So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.” Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. 27But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
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