Joseph Makes Himself Known

45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself(A) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”(B) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept(C) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.(D)

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”(E) But his brothers were not able to answer him,(F) because they were terrified at his presence.(G)

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”(H) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!(I) And now, do not be distressed(J) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,(K) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.(L) For two years now there has been famine(M) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant(N) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a](O)

“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.(P) He made me father(Q) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.(R) Now hurry(S) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.(T) 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen(U) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.(V) 11 I will provide for you there,(W) because five years of famine(X) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’(Y)

12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,(Z) that it is really I who am speaking to you.(AA) 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt(AB) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.(AC)

14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin(AD) embraced him,(AE) weeping. 15 And he kissed(AF) all his brothers and wept over them.(AG) Afterward his brothers talked with him.(AH)

16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come,(AI) Pharaoh and all his officials(AJ) were pleased.(AK) 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals(AL) and return to the land of Canaan,(AM) 18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt(AN) and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’(AO)

19 “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts(AP) from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. 20 Never mind about your belongings,(AQ) because the best of all Egypt(AR) will be yours.’”

21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts,(AS) as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.(AT) 22 To each of them he gave new clothing,(AU) but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels[b] of silver and five sets of clothes.(AV) 23 And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys(AW) loaded with the best things(AX) of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.(AY) 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”(AZ)

25 So they went up out of Egypt(BA) and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.(BB) 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”(BC) Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.(BD) 27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts(BE) Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “I’m convinced!(BF) My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”(BG)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 45:7 Or save you as a great band of survivors
  2. Genesis 45:22 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms

Joseph Deals Kindly with His Brothers

45 Then Joseph could not control himself in front of everyone standing before him, and he shouted, “Have everyone leave me!” So there [a]was no one with him (A)when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. Then (B)he [b]wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard about it. And Joseph said to his brothers, “(C)I am Joseph! (D)Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for (E)they were terrified in his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come [c]closer to me.” And they came [d]closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you (F)sold to Egypt. Now do not be grieved or angry [e]with yourselves because (G)you sold me here, for (H)God sent me ahead of you [f]to save lives. For the famine has been in the land (I)these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. So (J)God sent me ahead of you to ensure for you a remnant on the earth, and to [g]keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a (K)father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father, and (L)say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10 For you shall live in the land of (M)Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your [h]grandchildren, and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. 11 There I will also (N)provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.”’ 12 Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. 13 Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and (O)bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and (P)wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

16 Now when (Q)the [i]news was heard in Pharaoh’s house [j]that Joseph’s brothers had come, it [k]pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your livestock and [l]go to the land of Canaan, 18 and take your father and your households and come to me; and (R)I will give you the [m]best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ 19 Now you are ordered, ‘Do this: [n]take (S)wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. 20 And do not [o]concern yourselves with your property, for the [p]best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them (T)wagons according to the [q]command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22 To [r]each of them he gave (U)changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and (V)five changes of garments. 23 And to his father he sent [s]the following: ten male donkeys loaded with the [t]best things of Egypt, ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and sustenance for his father [u]on the journey.

24 So he sent his brothers away, and [v]as they departed, he said to them, “Do not [w]quarrel on the journey.” 25 Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan, to their father Jacob. 26 And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But [x]he was stunned, for (W)he did not believe them. 27 When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the (X)wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, then the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 45:1 Lit stood
  2. Genesis 45:2 Lit gave forth his voice in weeping
  3. Genesis 45:4 Lit near
  4. Genesis 45:4 Lit near
  5. Genesis 45:5 Lit in your eyes
  6. Genesis 45:5 Lit for preservation of life
  7. Genesis 45:7 As in MT; another reading (cf. LXX) keep alive for you a great remnant
  8. Genesis 45:10 Lit children’s children
  9. Genesis 45:16 Lit voice
  10. Genesis 45:16 Lit saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come”
  11. Genesis 45:16 Lit was good in the eyes of
  12. Genesis 45:17 Lit come, go
  13. Genesis 45:18 Lit good
  14. Genesis 45:19 Lit take for yourselves
  15. Genesis 45:20 Lit let your eye look with regret upon your vessels
  16. Genesis 45:20 Lit good
  17. Genesis 45:21 Lit mouth
  18. Genesis 45:22 Lit all of them he gave each man
  19. Genesis 45:23 Lit like this
  20. Genesis 45:23 Lit good
  21. Genesis 45:23 Lit for
  22. Genesis 45:24 Lit they departed; and he said
  23. Genesis 45:24 Lit be agitated
  24. Genesis 45:26 Lit his heart grew numb

45 Joseph could stand it no longer.

“Out, all of you,” he cried out to his attendants, and he was left alone with his brothers. Then he wept aloud. His sobs could be heard throughout the palace, and the news was quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace.

“I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers couldn’t say a word, they were so stunned with surprise.

“Come over here,” he said. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into Egypt! But don’t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it! He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. These two years of famine will grow to seven, during which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God has sent me here to keep you and your families alive, so that you will become a great nation. Yes, it was God who sent me here, not you! And he has made me a counselor to Pharaoh, and manager of this entire nation, ruler of all the land of Egypt.

“Hurry, return to my father and tell him, ‘Your son Joseph says, “God has made me chief of all the land of Egypt. Come down to me right away! 10 You shall live in the land of Goshen so that you can be near me with all your children, your grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all that you have. 11-12 I will take care of you there”’ (you men are witnesses of my promise, and my brother Benjamin has heard me say it) ‘“for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you will come to utter poverty along with all your household.”’ 13 Tell our father about all my power here in Egypt, and how everyone obeys me. And bring him to me quickly.”

14 Then, weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin and Benjamin began weeping too. 15 And he did the same with each of his brothers, who finally found their tongues! 16 The news soon reached Pharaoh—“Joseph’s brothers have come”; and Pharaoh was very happy to hear it, as were his officials.

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers to load their pack animals and return quickly to their homes in Canaan, 18 and to bring your father and all of your families and come here to Egypt to live. Tell them, ‘Pharaoh will assign to you the very best territory in the land of Egypt. You shall live off the fat of the land!’ 19 And tell your brothers to take wagons from Egypt to carry their wives and little ones, and to bring your father here. 20 Don’t worry about your property, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”

21 So Joseph gave them wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and provisions for the journey, 22 and he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and three hundred pieces of silver! 23 He sent his father ten donkey-loads of the good things of Egypt, and ten donkeys loaded with grain and all kinds of other food, to eat on his journey. 24 So he sent his brothers off.

“Don’t quarrel along the way!” was his parting shot! 25 And leaving, they returned to the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.

26 “Joseph is alive,” they shouted to him. “And he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But Jacob’s heart was like a stone; he couldn’t take it in. 27 But when they had given him Joseph’s messages, and when he saw the wagons filled with food that Joseph had sent him, his spirit revived.

28 And he said, “It must be true! Joseph my son is alive! I will go and see him before I die.”