< 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.
Then could Joseph not refrain himself before all those that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there remained no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brothers.
2 But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household soon heard of it.
And he raised his voice in weeping; and the Egyptians heard it, and the house of Pharaoh heard it.
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 unto his brothers, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brothers could not answer him; for they were terrified at his presence.
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 unto his brothers, Come near to me, I pray you; and they came near; and he said, I am Joseph your brother, 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.
But now be not grieved, nor be angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for in order to preserve life did God send me before you.
6 For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
For these two years hath the famine been already in the land; and there are yet five years, in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvesting.
7 God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
And God hath thus sent me before you to prepare for you a permanence on the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
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.
So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God; and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and a lord for all his house, and a ruler throughout 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.
Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus hath said thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt; come down unto me, 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 Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that is 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 maintain thee there; for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.
12 Behold! You and my brother Benjamin can see that I, Joseph, am the one speaking with you.
And, behold, your own eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.
13 Tell my father about all my splendor in Egypt and everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
And ye shall tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall hasten 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 upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon 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 brothers, and wept upon them; and after that his brothers spoke with him.
16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.
And the report thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brothers are come; and it was pleasing in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants.
17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do as follows: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brothers, This do ye; load your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;
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 your father and your households, and come unto me; and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat 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 thou art commanded, This do ye, take unto yourselves out of the land of Egypt wagons 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 do ye feel no concern on account of your household goods; for the best of all the land of Egypt is 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 them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh; and he gave them provision for the way.
22 He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
To all of them he gave to each changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, 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 after this manner: ten asses laden with the best things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and other food for his father, for the 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 accompanied his brothers on the way, and they departed: and he said unto them, Do not fall out 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 out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, unto 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 told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive; and that he is governor over all the land of Egypt. But his heart remained cold, for he believed them not.
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 when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them; and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him: 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, Enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.