Genesis 45
45
Joseph Tells Who He Is
1Joseph could not control himself any longer. He cried in front of all the people who were there. Joseph said, “Tell everyone to leave here.” So all the people left. Only the brothers were left with Joseph. Then he told them who he was. 2Joseph continued to cry, and all the Egyptian people in Pharaoh’s house heard it. 3He said to his brothers, “I am your brother Joseph. Is my father doing well?” But the brothers did not answer him because they were confused and afraid.
4So Joseph said to his brothers again, “Come here to me. I beg you, come here.” When the brothers went to him, he said to them, “I am your brother Joseph. I am the one you sold as a slave to Egypt. 5Now don’t be worried. Don’t be angry with yourselves for what you did. It was God’s plan for me to come here. I am here to save people’s lives. 6This terrible famine has continued for two years now, and there will be five more years without planting or harvest. 7So God sent me here ahead of you so that I can save your people in this country. 8It was not your fault that I was sent here. It was God’s plan. God made me like a father to Pharaoh. I am the governor over all his house and over all Egypt.”
Israel Invited to Egypt
9Joseph said, “Hurry up and go to my father. Tell him his son Joseph sent this message: ‘God made me the governor of Egypt. So come here to me quickly. Don’t wait. 10You can live near me in the land of Goshen. You, your children, your grandchildren, and all of your animals are welcome here. 11I will take care of you during the next five years of hunger. So you and your family will not lose everything you own.’
12“Surely you can see that I really am Joseph. Even my brother Benjamin knows it is me, your brother, talking to you. 13So tell my father about the honor I have received here in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen here. Now hurry, go bring my father back to me.” 14Then Joseph hugged his brother Benjamin, and they both began crying. 15Then Joseph cried as he kissed all his brothers. After this, the brothers began talking with him.
16Pharaoh learned that Joseph’s brothers had come to him. This news spread throughout Pharaoh’s house. Pharaoh and his servants were very excited! 17So Pharaoh told Joseph, “Tell your brothers to take all the food they need and go back to the land of Canaan. 18Tell them to bring your father and their families back here to me. I will give you the best land in Egypt to live on. And your family can eat the best food we have here. 19Also give your brothers some of our best wagons. Tell them to go to Canaan and bring your father and all the women and children back in the wagons. 20Don’t worry about bringing all of their belongings. We can give them the best of Egypt.”
21So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them good wagons just as Pharaoh had promised. And Joseph gave them enough food for their trip. 22He gave each brother a suit of beautiful clothes. But to Benjamin he gave five suits of beautiful clothes and 300 pieces of silver. 23Joseph also sent gifts to his father. He sent ten donkeys with bags full of many good things from Egypt. And he sent ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for his father on his trip back. 24Then Joseph told his brothers to go. While they were leaving, he said to them, “Go straight home, and don’t fight on the way.”
25So the brothers left Egypt and went to their father in the land of Canaan. 26They told him, “Father, Joseph is still alive! And he is the governor over the whole country of Egypt.”
Their father did not know what to think. At first he didn’t believe them. 27But then they told him everything Joseph had said. Then their father saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to bring him back to Egypt, and he became excited and very happy. 28Israel said, “Now I believe you. My son Joseph is still alive! I am going to see him before I die!”
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Genesis 45
45
1 Joseph was unable to restrain himself any longer, standing before so many. Therefore, he instructed that all should go outside, and that no stranger should be among them as they recognized one another.
2 And he lifted up his voice with weeping, which the Egyptians heard, along with the entire house of Pharaoh.
3 And he said to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" His brothers were unable to respond, being terrified by a very great fear.
4 And he said to them mildly, "Approach toward me." And when they had approached close by, he said: "I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
5 Do not be afraid, and let it not seem to you to be a hardship that you sold me into these regions. For God sent me before you into Egypt for your salvation.
6 For it is two years since the famine began to be upon the land, and five years more remain, in which there can be neither plowing, nor reaping.
7 And God sent me ahead, so that you may be preserved upon the earth, and so that you would be able to have food in order to live.
8 I was sent here, not by your counsel, but by the will of God. He has caused me to be like a father to Pharaoh, and to be the lord of his entire house, as well as governor throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 Hurry, and go up to my father, and say to him: 'Your son Joseph commands this: God has caused me to be lord of the entire land of Egypt. Come down to me, do not delay,
10 and you will live in the land of Goshen. And you will be next to me, you and your sons and the sons of your sons, your sheep and your herds, and all that you possess.
11 And there I will pasture you, (for there are still five years of famine remaining) lest both you and your house perish, along with all that you possess.'
12 Behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin can see that it is my mouth speaking to you.
13 You will report to my father about all my glory, and about all that you have seen in Egypt. Hurry, and bring him to me."
14 And then falling upon the neck of his brother Benjamin, he embraced him and wept. And likewise, Benjamin wept at the same time on his neck.
15 And Joseph kissed all his brothers, and he cried over each one. After this, they were emboldened to speak to him.
16 And it was overheard, and the news spread by word throughout the king's court. The brothers of Joseph had arrived, and Pharaoh was gladdened along with all his family.
17 And he told Joseph that he should command his brothers, saying: " 'Burden your beasts, and go into the land of Canaan,
18 and take from there your father and kindred, and come to me. And I will give you all the good things of Egypt, so that you may eat from the marrow of the land.' "
19 "And you may even instruct that they take wagons from the land of Egypt, in order to transport their little ones as well as their wives. And say: 'Take your father, and come quickly, as soon as possible.
20 You need not give up anything from your household, for all the riches of Egypt will be yours.' "
21 And the sons of Israel did just as they were commanded. And Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and provisions for the journey.
22 Likewise, he ordered two robes for each of them to be brought. Yet truly, to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver along with five of the best robes.
23 And he sent just as much money and clothing to his father, adding also ten male donkeys, with which to transport all the riches of Egypt, and as many female donkeys, carrying wheat and bread for the journey.
24 Thus he sent away his brothers, and as they set out he said, "Do not become angry on the way."
25 And they ascended out of Egypt, and they arrived in the land of Canaan, to their father Jacob.
26 And they reported to him, saying: "Your son Joseph is alive, and he is ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. When Jacob heard this, he was stirred up, as if from a deep sleep, yet he did not believe them.
27 To the contrary, they explained the entire matter in order. And when he had seen the wagons, and all that he had sent, his spirit revived,
28 and he said: "It is enough for me, if my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."
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