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. ² And he wept^(C) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.^(D)

³ 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)

⁴ 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) 5} 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) 6} 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. ⁷ 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)

⁸ “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) 9} 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)

²⁴ Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”^(A)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge^(A) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”^{(B) 16} So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions^(C) before he died: ¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins^(D) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’^(E) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.^(F)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.^(G)

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

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