⁴¹ Esau held a grudge^(A) against Jacob^(B) because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning^(C) for my father are near; then I will kill^(D) my brother Jacob.”^(E)

⁴² When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau^(F) had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is planning to avenge himself by killing you.^{(G) 43} Now then, my son, do what I say:^(H) Flee at once to my brother Laban^(I) in Harran.^{(J) 44} Stay with him for a while^(K) until your brother’s fury subsides. ⁴⁵ When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him,^(L) I’ll send word for you to come back from there.^(M) Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

¹² He had a dream^(A) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.^{(B) 13} There above it^[a] stood the Lord,^(C) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.^(D) I will give you and your descendants the land^(E) on which you are lying.^{(F) 14} Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you^(G) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.^(H) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.^{[b](I) 15} I am with you^(J) and will watch over you^(K) wherever you go,^(L) and I will bring you back to this land.^(M) I will not leave you^(N) until I have done what I have promised you.^(O)”^(P)

²² Then God remembered Rachel;^(A) he listened to her^(B) and enabled her to conceive.^(C)

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”^(A) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!^{(B) 5} And now, do not be distressed^(C) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,^(D) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.^{(E) 6} For two years now there has been famine^(F) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant^(G) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^[a](H)

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.^(I) He made me father^(J) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.^(K)

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.^(A) “We are your slaves,”^(B) they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?^{(C) 20} You intended to harm me,^(D) but God intended^(E) it for good^(F) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.^{(G) 21} So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.^(H)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly^(I) to them.