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) 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)

¹⁴ After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.^(A)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

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

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

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