Genesis 45
45
Joseph reveals his identity
1Joseph could no longer control himself in front of all his attendants, so he declared, “Everyone, leave now!” So no one stayed with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers. 2He wept so loudly that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s household heard him. 3Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m Joseph! Is my father really still alive?” His brothers couldn’t respond because they were terrified before him.
4Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” and they moved closer. He said, “I’m your brother Joseph! The one you sold to Egypt. 5Now, don’t be upset and don’t be angry with yourselves that you sold me here. Actually, God sent me before you to save lives. 6We’ve already had two years of famine in the land, and there are five years left without planting or harvesting. 7God sent me before you to make sure you’d survive#45.7 Or survive on earth and to rescue your lives in this amazing way. 8You didn’t send me here; it was God who made me a father to Pharaoh, master of his entire household, and ruler of the whole land of Egypt.
9“Hurry! Go back to your father. Tell him this is what your son Joseph says: ‘God has made me master of all of Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t delay. 10You may live in the land of Goshen, so you will be near me, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everyone with you. 11I will support you there, so you, your household, and everyone with you won’t starve, since the famine will still last five years.’ 12You and my brother Benjamin have seen with your own eyes that I’m speaking to you. 13Tell my father about my power in Egypt and about everything you’ve seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14He threw his arms around his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. 15He kissed all of his brothers and wept, embracing them. After that, his brothers were finally able to talk to him.
Joseph’s brothers return for Jacob
16When Pharaoh’s household heard the message “Joseph’s brothers have arrived,” both Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Give your brothers these instructions: Load your pack animals and go back to the land of Canaan. 18Get your father and your households and come back to me. Let me provide you with good things from the land of Egypt so that you may eat the land’s best food. 19Give them these instructions too: Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your children and wives, and pick up your father and come back. 20Don’t worry about your possessions because you will have good things from the entire land of Egypt.”
21So Israel’s sons did that. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh instructed, and he gave them provisions for the road. 22To all of them he gave a change of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. 23To his father he sent ten male donkeys carrying goods from Egypt, ten female donkeys carrying grain and bread, and rations for his father for the road. 24He sent his brothers off; and as they were leaving, he told them, “Don’t be worried about the trip.”#45.24 Or Don’t quarrel during the trip.
25So they left Egypt and returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26They announced to him, “Joseph’s still alive! He’s actually ruler of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob’s heart nearly failed, and he didn’t believe them.
27When they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, Jacob recovered. 28Then Israel said, “This is too much! My son Joseph is still alive! Let me go and see him before I die.”
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Genesis 45: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Genesis 45
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.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.