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.”

Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®

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Genesis 45

1And Joseph could not control himself before all them that stood by him, and he cried, Put every man out from me! And no man stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brethren. 2And he raised his voice in weeping; and the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3And Joseph said to his brethren, I am Joseph. Does my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. 4And Joseph said to his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5And now, be not grieved, and be not angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither, for God#GodHebrew: Elohim sent me before you to preserve life. 6For the famine has been these two years in the land; and yet there are five years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. 7So God#GodHebrew: Elohim sent me before you to preserve you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance. 8And now it was not you that sent me here, but God#GodHebrew: Elohim and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and governor over all the land of Egypt. 9Haste and go up to my father, and say to him, Thus says thy son Joseph: God#GodHebrew: Elohim has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, tarry not. 10And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near to me, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons' sons, and thy sheep, and thy cattle, and all that thou hast. 11And there will I maintain thee; for yet there are five years of famine; in order that thou be not impoverished, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast. 12And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth which speaks to you. 13And tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen, and haste and bring down my father hither. 14And he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them; and after that his brethren talked with him.

16And the report was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come. And it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his bondmen. 17And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Say to thy brethren, Do this: load your beasts and depart, go into the land of Canaan, 18and take your father and your households, and come to me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. 19And thou art commanded — this do: take waggons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and take up your father, and come. 20And let not your eye regret your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt shall be yours. 21And the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them waggons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 22To each one of them all he gave changes of clothing; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. 23And to his father he sent this: ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread, and food for his father by the way. 24And he sent his brethren away, and they departed. And he said to them, Do not quarrel on the way.

25And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26And they told him, saying, Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And his heart fainted, for he did not believe them. 27And they spoke to him all the words of Joseph, which he had spoken to them. And he saw the waggons that Joseph had sent to carry him. And the spirit of Jacob their father revived. 28And Israel said, It is enough: Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.

First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

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Genesis 45

Genesis 45