Genesis 45
1 Joseph was not able to control his feelings any longer. He did not want to cry in front of his servants, so he said to them loudly, “All of you go outside!” After they went outside, there was no one else there with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was.
Joseph could no longer refrain himself before many that stood by: whereupon he commanded that all should go out, and no stranger be present at their knowing one another.
2 He cried so loudly that the people of Egypt who were outside heard it, and even the people in the king’s palace heard it.
And he lifted up his voice with weeping, which the Egyptians and all the house of Pharao heard.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is our father still alive?” But his brothers were not able to reply, because they were frightened because of what he said.
And he said to his brethren: I am Joseph: is my father yet living? His brethren could not answer him, being struck with exceeding great fear.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me!” When they came closer, he said, “I am your brother Joseph! I am the one you sold to traders who brought me here to Egypt!
And he said mildly to them: Come nearer to me. And when they were come near him, he said: I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
5 But now, do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for having sold me to people who brought me here, because it was to save you from dying [because of the famine] that God sent me here ahead of you.
Be not afraid, and let it not seem to you a hard case that you sold me into these countries: for God sent me before you into Egypt for your preservation.
6 There has been a famine in this country for two years, and it will continue for five more years, so that no one will plow ground, and there will be no crops to harvest.
For it is two years since the famine began to be upon the land, and five years more remain, wherein there can be neither ploughing nor reaping.
7 But God sent me here ahead of you, to keep you from starving, and to make sure that your descendants will survive.
And God sent me before, that you may be preserved upon the earth, and may have food to live.
8 Therefore, it was not you who sent me here; it was God who sent me here! He has caused me to become like a father to the king. I am in charge of everything in his palace and the governor of everyone in Egypt!
Not by your counsel was I sent hither, but by the will of God: who hath made me as it were a father to Pharao, and lord of his whole house, and governor in all the land of Egypt.
9 Now return to my father quickly, and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has caused me to become the governor over the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me immediately!
Make haste, and go ye up to my father, and say to him: Thus saith thy son Joseph: God hath made me lord of the whole land of Egypt: come down to me, linger not.
10 You can live in the Goshen region. You and your children and your grandchildren, your sheep and goats and cattle, and everything that you own, will be near me.
And thou shalt dwell in the land of Gessen: and thou shalt be near me, thou and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, thy sheep, and thy herds, and all things that thou hast.
11 Since there will be five more years of famine, I will make sure that you have food. If you do not come here, you and your family and all of your servants will starve. [EUP]”’
And there I will feed thee, (for there are yet five years of famine remaining), lest both thou perish, and thy house, and all things that thou hast.
12 “Look closely, and all of you can see, including my brother Benjamin, that it is really I, Joseph, who am speaking to you.
Behold, your eyes, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaketh to you.
13 Go and tell my father about how greatly I am honored here in Egypt. And tell him about everything else that you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly!”
You shall tell my father of all my glory, and all things that you have seen in Egypt: make haste and bring him to me.
14 Then he threw his arms around his [younger] brother Benjamin’s neck and cried. And Benjamin hugged him and cried.
And falling upon the neck of his brother Benjamin, he embraced him and wept: and Benjamin in like manner wept also on his neck.
15 And then as he kissed his older brothers [on their cheeks], he cried. After that, his brothers started to talk with him.
And Joseph kissed all his brethren, and wept upon every one of them: after which they were emboldened to speak to him.
16 Someone went to the palace and told the news that Joseph’s brothers had come. The king and all his officials were pleased.
And it was heard, and the fame was abroad in the king’s court: The brethren of Joseph are come: and Pharao with all his family was glad.
17 The king said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers this: ‘Put loads of grain on your animals and return to the Canaan region.
And he spoke to Joseph that he should give orders to his brethren, saying: Load your beasts, and go into the land of Chanaan.
18 Then bring your father and your families back here. I will give you the best land in Egypt, and you will have the best food in the land to eat.’
And bring away from thence your father and kindred, and come to me: and I will give you all the good things of Egypt, that you may eat the marrow of the land.
19 “Also tell this to your brothers: ‘Take some carts from Egypt to carry your children and your wives, and get them and your father and come back here quickly.
Give orders also that they take wagons out of the land of Egypt, for the carriage of their children and their wives: and say: Take up your father, and make haste to come with all speed:
20 Do not worry about bringing your possessions, because the best things in Egypt will be yours. Because of that, you will not need to bring any of your things from Canaan.’”
And leave nothing of your household stuff: for all the riches of Egypt shall be yours.
21 Jacob’s sons did what the king suggested. Joseph gave them carts and food to eat along the way, as the king had ordered.
And the sons of Israel did as they were bid. And Joseph gave them wagons according to Pharao’s commandment: and provisions for the way.
22 To each of them he gave new clothes, but he gave 300 pieces of silver and five sets of new clothes to Benjamin!
He ordered also to be brought out for every one of them two robes: but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver with five robes of the best:
23 And this is what he sent to his father: Ten male donkeys, loaded with some of the best goods that come from Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other food for his father’s trip to Egypt.
Sending to his father as much money and raiment, adding besides ten he asses to carry off all the riches of Egypt, and as many she asses, carrying wheat and bread for the journey.
24 Then he sent his brothers on their way, saying to them “Do not quarrel along the way!”
So he sent away his brethren, and at their departing said to them: Be not angry in the way.
25 So they left Egypt and came to their father Jacob in Canaan.
And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Chanaan to their father Jacob.
26 One of them told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is the governor over all of Egypt!” Jacob was extremely astonished; he could not believe that it was true.
And they told him, saying: Joseph thy son is living: and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. Which when Jacob heard, he awaked as it were out of a deep sleep, yet did not believe them.
27 But they told him everything that Joseph had said to them, and Jacob saw the carts that Joseph had sent to carry him and his family and possessions to Egypt. Then their father Jacob’s shock ended.
They, on the other side, told the whole order of the thing. And when he saw the wagons and all that he had sent his spirit revived,
28 He said, “What you have said is enough to convince me! My son Joseph is still alive, and I will go and see him before I die!”
And he said: It is enough for me, if Joseph my son be yet living: I will go and see him before I die.
