Joseph Revealed to His Brothers

45 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him (A)while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he (B)wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, (C)“I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, (D)whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; (E)for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the (F)famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God (G)sent me before you to preserve a [a]posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but (H)God; and He has made me (I)a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a (J)ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

“Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not [b]tarry. 10 (K)You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will (L)provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.” ’

12 “And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is (M)my mouth that speaks to you. 13 So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and (N)bring my father down here.”

14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 Moreover he (O)kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.

16 Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. 18 Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat (P)the [c]fat of the land. 19 Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. 20 Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”

21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them (Q)carts,[d] according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 He gave to all of them, to each man, (R)changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and (S)five changes of garments. 23 And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. 24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”

25 Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26 And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” (T)And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit (U)of Jacob their father revived. 28 Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 45:7 remnant
  2. Genesis 45:9 delay
  3. Genesis 45:18 The choicest produce
  4. Genesis 45:21 wagons

45 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:

10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:

11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.

13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

18 And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is your's.

21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Iosif li se face cunoscut fraţilor săi

45 Atunci Iosif nu s-a mai putut stăpâni înaintea tuturor celor ce se aflau acolo şi a poruncit: „Să iasă toată lumea afară!“ Astfel, nici unul n-a rămas cu el atunci când Iosif s-a făcut cunoscut fraţilor săi. Şi a plâns atât de tare, încât l-au auzit şi egiptenii, şi curtea lui Faraon. Iosif le-a zis fraţilor săi: „Eu sunt! Iosif! Mai trăieşte tatăl meu?“ Dar fraţii săi nu i-au putut răspunde, pentru că au înlemnit în prezenţa sa. Atunci Iosif le-a zis fraţilor săi: „Apropiaţi-vă de mine!“ Ei s-au apropiat de el, iar el le-a zis: „Eu sunt fratele vostru Iosif, cel pe care l-aţi vândut în Egipt! Acum nu vă întristaţi şi nu vă mâniaţi pe voi înşivă pentru că m-aţi vândut aici, fiindcă Dumnezeu m-a trimis înaintea voastră pentru a păstra în viaţă[a]. Deoarece foametea durează de doi ani pe pământ şi vor mai fi încă cinci ani în care nu se va ara şi nu se va secera, Dumnezeu m-a trimis înaintea voastră pentru a vă păstra o rămăşiţă pe pământ şi pentru a vă salva vieţile printr-o mare izbăvire. Aşadar, nu voi m-aţi trimis aici, ci Dumnezeu; El m-a făcut tată pentru Faraon, stăpân al curţii sale şi domnitor peste toată ţara Egiptului. Duceţi-vă repede la tatăl meu şi spuneţi-i că aşa vorbeşte fiul său Iosif: «Dumnezeu m-a făcut stăpân peste tot Egiptul; vino la mine fără întârziere. 10 Vei locui în ţinutul Goşen[b] şi vei fi lângă mine, tu, copiii tăi, nepoţii tăi, turmele, cirezile tale şi tot ceea ce este al tău. 11 Acolo îţi voi purta de grijă, căci mai sunt încă cinci ani de foamete, pentru ca să nu sărăceşti tu, familia ta şi gospodăria ta.» 12 Voi înşivă şi fratele meu Beniamin vedeţi că eu sunt cel care vă vorbeşte. 13 Să-i spuneţi tatălui meu despre toată gloria pe care o am în Egipt şi despre tot ce aţi văzut; grăbiţi-vă şi aduceţi-l pe tatăl meu aici.“ 14 Apoi l-a îmbrăţişat pe fratele său Beniamin şi a plâns, în timp ce Beniamin plângea şi el pe umărul lui. 15 Iosif i-a sărutat pe toţi fraţii săi şi a plâns pe umerii lor; după aceea fraţii săi au vorbit cu el.

16 Când Faraon şi slujitorii săi au auzit că au venit fraţii lui Iosif, s-au bucurat. 17 Faraon i-a poruncit lui Iosif să le spună fraţilor săi următoarele: „Încărcaţi-vă animalele şi întoarceţi-vă în Canaan. 18 Luaţi-l pe tatăl vostru şi familiile voastre şi veniţi la mine; eu vă voi da ce este mai bun în ţara Egiptului şi veţi mânca ce este mai bun în ţară.“ 19 El i-a poruncit să le mai spună astfel: „Luaţi din ţara Egiptului nişte care pentru copiii şi soţiile voastre, luaţi-l pe tatăl vostru şi veniţi. 20 Nu vă gândiţi la bunurile voastre, pentru că tot ce este mai bun în Egipt va fi al vostru.“ 21 Fiii lui Israel au făcut întocmai. Iosif le-a dat care după porunca lui Faraon şi provizii pentru drum. 22 Fiecăruia i-a dat câte un rând de haine, dar lui Beniamin i-a dat trei sute de şecheli de argint[c] şi cinci rânduri de haine. 23 Tatălui său i-a trimis zece măgari încărcaţi cu ce era mai bun în Egipt şi zece măgăriţe încărcate cu grâne, pâine şi provizii pentru drum. 24 Iosif i-a trimis pe fraţii săi şi la despărţire le-a zis: „Să nu vă certaţi[d] pe drum!“ 25 Ei au plecat din Egipt, s-au dus la tatăl lor, Iacov, în Canaan 26 şi i-au zis: „Iosif trăieşte! Chiar el este domnitor peste toată ţara Egiptului!“ Însă inima lui Iacov a rămas rece, pentru că nu-i credea. 27 Dar când i-au istorisit tot ceea ce le spusese Iosif şi când a văzut carele pe care le trimisese Iosif să-l ducă, duhul tatălui lor, Iacov, s-a înviorat. 28 Israel a zis: „Destul! Iosif, fiul meu, încă trăieşte. Trebuie să merg să-l văd înainte de a muri.“

Footnotes

  1. Geneza 45:5 Sau: pentru a vă păstra un mare număr de supravieţuitori
  2. Geneza 45:10 Regiune foarte fertilă situată în estul Deltei Nilului
  3. Geneza 45:22 Aproximativ 3,5 kg
  4. Geneza 45:24 Sau: Să nu fiţi supăraţi/agitaţi; vezi v. 5