1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants,#tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.” so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained#tn Heb “stood.” with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept loudly;#tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud. the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.#tn Heb “and the Egyptians heard and the household of Pharaoh heard.” Presumably in the latter case this was by means of a report.

3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here,#tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.” for God sent me#sn You sold me here, for God sent me. The tension remains as to how the brothers’ wickedness and God’s intentions work together. Clearly God is able to transform the actions of wickedness to bring about some gracious end. But this is saying more than that; it is saying that from the beginning it was God who sent Joseph here. Although harmonization of these ideas remains humanly impossible, the divine intention is what should be the focus. Only that will enable reconciliation. ahead of you to preserve life! 6 For these past two years there has been famine in#tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.” the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me#sn God sent me. The repetition of this theme that God sent Joseph is reminiscent of commission narratives in which the leader could announce that God sent him (e.g., Exod 3:15). ahead of you to preserve you#tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition לְ (lÿ), means “to make.” on the earth and to save your lives#tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action. by a great deliverance. 8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser#tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children. to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Now go up to my father quickly#tn Heb “hurry and go up.” and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 10 You will live#tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction. in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me – you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11 I will provide you with food#tn The verb כּוּל (kul) in the Pilpel stem means “to nourish, to support, to sustain.” As in 1 Kgs 20:27, it here means “to supply with food.” there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you.#tn Heb “And, look, your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that my mouth is the one speaking to you.” 13 So tell#tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction. my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”#tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”

14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.

16 Now it was reported#tn Heb “and the sound was heard.” in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased#tn Heb “was good in the eyes of.” Pharaoh and his servants. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go#tn Heb “and go! Enter!” to the land of Canaan! 18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you#tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result. the best land in Egypt and you will eat#tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal. the best#tn Heb “fat.” of the land.’ 19 You are also commanded to say,#tn The words “to say” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 20 Don’t worry#tn Heb “let not your eye regard.” about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”

21 So the sons of Israel did as he said.#tn Heb “and the sons of Israel did so.” Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed,#tn Heb “according to the mouth of Pharaoh.” and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them,#tn Heb “to all of them he gave, to each one, changes of outer garments.” but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes.#tn Heb “changes of outer garments.” 23 To his father he sent the following:#tn Heb “according to this.” ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.”#tn Heb “do not be stirred up in the way.” The verb means “stir up.” Some understand the Hebrew verb רָגָז (ragaz, “to stir up”) as a reference to quarreling (see Prov 29:9, where it has this connotation), but in Exod 15:14 and other passages it means “to fear.” This might refer to a fear of robbers, but more likely it is an assuring word that they need not be fearful about returning to Egypt. They might have thought that once Jacob was in Egypt, Joseph would take his revenge on them.

25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.#tn Heb “and they entered the land of Canaan to their father.” 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned,#tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond. for he did not believe them. 27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them,#tn Heb “and they spoke to him all the words of Joseph which he had spoke to them.” and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”

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Genesis 45

1 THEN JOSEPH could not restrain himself [any longer] before all those who stood by him, and he called out, Cause every man to go out from me! So no one stood there with Joseph while he made himself known to his brothers.

2 And he wept and sobbed aloud, and the Egyptians [who had just left him] heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard about it.

3 And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph! Is my father still alive? And his brothers could not reply, for they were distressingly disturbed and dismayed at [the startling realization that they were in] his presence.

4 And Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me, I pray you. And they did so. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt!

5 But now, do not be distressed and disheartened or vexed and angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.

6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years more in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a posterity and to continue a remnant on the earth, to save your lives by a great escape and save for you many survivors.

8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

9 Hurry and go up to my father and tell him, Your son Joseph says this to you: God has put me in charge of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay.

10 You will live in the land of Goshen, and you will be close to me–you and your children and your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and all you have.

11 And there I will sustain and provide for you, so that you and your household and all that are yours may not come to poverty and want, for there are yet five [more] years of [the scarcity, hunger, and starvation of] famine.

12 Now notice! Your own eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin can see that I am talking to you personally [in your language and not through an interpreter].

13 And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.

14 And he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.

15 Moreover, he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers conversed with him.

16 When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well.

17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Tell your brothers this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan,

18 And get your father and your households and come to me. And I will give you the best in the land of Egypt and you will live on the fat of the land.

19 You therefore command them, saying, You do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come.

20 Also do not look with regret or concern upon your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.

21 And the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons, as the order of Pharaoh permitted, and gave them provisions for the journey.

22 To each of them he gave changes of raiment, but to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five changes of raiment.

23 And to his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-donkeys laden with grain, bread, and nourishing food and provision for his father [to supply all who were with him] on the way.

24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed, and he said to them, See that you do not disagree (get excited, quarrel) along the road.

25 So they went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan to Jacob their father,

26 And they said to him, Joseph is still alive! And he is governor over all the land of Egypt! And Jacob's heart began to stop beating and [he almost] fainted, for he did not believe them.

27 But when they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived [and warmth and life returned].

28 And 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

Genesis 45