< Genesis 45 >

1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.
And Joseph could not refrain himself when all were standing by him, but said, Dismiss all from me; and no one stood near Joseph, when he made himself known to his brethren.
2 But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household soon heard of it.
And he uttered his voice with weeping; and all the Egyptians heard, and it was reported to the house of Pharao.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence.
And Joseph said to his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt!
And Joseph said to his brethren, Draw nigh to me; and they drew nigh; and he said, I am your brother Joseph, whom ye sold into Egypt.
5 And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.
Now then be not grieved, and let it not seem hard to you that ye sold me hither, for God sent me before you for life.
6 For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
For this second year there is famine on the earth, and there are yet five years remaining, in which there is to be neither ploughing, nor mowing.
7 God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
For God sent me before you, that there might be left to you a remnant upon the earth, even to nourish a great remnant of you.
8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Now then ye did not send me hither, but God; and he hath made me as a father of Pharao, and lord of all his house, and ruler of all the land of Egypt.
9 Now return quickly to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay.
Hasten, therefore, and go up to my father, and say to him, These things saith thy son Joseph; God has made me lord of all the land of Egypt; come down therefore to me, and tarry not.
10 You shall settle in the land of Goshen and be near me—you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own.
And thou shalt dwell in the land of Gesem of Arabia; and thou shalt be near me, thou and thy sons, and thy sons' sons, thy sheep and thine oxen, and whatsoever things are thine.
11 And there I will provide for you, because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you and your household and everything you own will come to destitution.’
And I will nourish thee there: for the famine is yet for five years; lest thou be consumed, and thy sons, and all thy possessions.
12 Behold! You and my brother Benjamin can see that I, Joseph, am the one speaking with you.
Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.
13 Tell my father about all my splendor in Egypt and everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
Report, therefore, to my father all my glory in Egypt, and all things that ye have seen, and make haste and bring down my father hither.
14 Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced.
And he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept on him; and Benjamin wept on his neck.
15 Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.
And he kissed all his brethren, and wept on them; and after these things his brethren spoke to him.
16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.
And the report was carried into the house of Pharao, saying, Joseph's brethren are come; and Pharao was glad, and his household.
17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do as follows: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan.
And Pharao said to Joseph, Say to thy brethren, Do this; fill your waggons, and depart into the land of Chanaan.
18 Then bring your father and your families and return to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat from the fat of the land.’
And take up your father, and your possessions, and come to me; and I will give you of all the goods of Egypt, and ye shall eat the marrow of the land.
19 You are also directed to tell them: ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives, and bring your father and come back.
And do thou charge them thus; that they should take for them waggons out of the land of Egypt, for your little ones, and for your wives; and take up your father, and come.
20 But pay no regard to your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
And be not sparing in regard to your property, for all the good of Egypt shall be yours.
21 So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.
And the children of Israel did so; and Joseph gave to them waggons, according to the words spoken by king Pharao; and he gave them provision for the journey.
22 He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
And he gave to them all two sets of raiment apiece; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of gold, and five changes of raiment.
23 And he sent to his father the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father’s journey.
And to his father he sent [presents] at the same rate, and ten asses, bearing some of all the good things of Egypt, and ten mules, bearing bread for his father for thy journey.
24 Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way!”
And he sent away his brethren, and they went; and he said to them, Be not angry by the way.
25 So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Chanaan, to Jacob their father.
26 “Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.
And they reported to him, saying, Thy son Joseph is living, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt; and Jacob was amazed, for he did not believe them.
27 However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.
But they spoke to him all the words uttered by Joseph, whatsoever he said to them; and having seen the chariots which Joseph sent to take him up, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.
28 “Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”
And Israel said, It is a great thing for me if Joseph my son is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die.

< Genesis 45 >