Genesis 45
The Voice
Judah has come a long way. He is no longer the selfish young man who conspired with his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery (37:26–27). Though he knew that decision would have a devastating effect on his father, Judah did not seem to care. Nor is he the lustful man who propositioned the prostitute who happened to be his daughter-in-law (38:1–30). Now he is different. His priorities have changed. He is willing to sacrifice his freedom and future to save his father the grief of losing Benjamin. Judah’s transformation is not immediate; it takes years to accomplish. But his place in the family and his selfless example impact the children of Israel for generations to come.
45 Then Joseph could no longer keep his composure. The room was crowded with people so he ordered his attendants:
Joseph: Send everyone out of the room!
Joseph didn’t want anyone else in the room when he finally told his brothers his true identity. 2 But he began to cry so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the Pharaoh’s household heard it too! Joseph turned and addressed his brothers:
Joseph: 3 I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?
But his brothers were too shocked to speak. They couldn’t answer, for they were so overwhelmed that they were standing in Joseph’s presence.
Joseph (to his brothers): 4 Come closer to me.
His brothers approached him cautiously.
Joseph: I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Don’t be upset or angry with yourselves any longer because of what you did. You see God sent me here ahead of you to preserve life. 6 For famine struck this land two years ago, and there are five more years in which there will be no plowing or harvesting. 7 God sent me here ahead of you to make sure you and your families survive this terrible ordeal and have a remnant left on earth. 8 So it wasn’t really you who sent me here, but God; the same God who made me an advisor to Pharaoh, master of his household, and ruler over everyone in the land of Egypt.
9 Hurry now, go to my father, and relay this message: “Here is what your son Joseph says: ‘God has made me master over all Egypt. Come to me and don’t delay. 10 I’ll arrange for all of you to settle in the land of Goshen where you can be near me—you and all of your children and grandchildren, as well as your flocks and herds and everything you have. 11 I will provide for you there. Since five more years of famine are still to come, I will make sure your household and everything you have will not descend into poverty.’”
12 Now you see with your own eyes, and even my brother Benjamin sees, that it is really I who speak to you even without an interpreter. 13 You must tell my father how honored I am here in Egypt. Tell him everything you’ve seen here. Hurry. Bring my father here.
14 With that he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck. They embraced, and both wept. 15 Then he kissed all of his brothers one by one, cried on their shoulders as well, and after that they talked for a time together.
16 The news spread to Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come. When Pharaoh and his other advisors heard, they were pleased.
Pharaoh (to Joseph): 17 Tell your brothers, “Do this: Load your animals, and go back to the land called Canaan. 18 Get your father and your families; come here to me, and I will give you the prime properties of Egypt. You will enjoy the very best Egypt has to offer.” 19 Now, Joseph, I command you to tell them also, “Do this: Take wagons from the land of Egypt so that your little children, your wives, and your father can make the journey. Come quickly. 20 Don’t worry about bringing all your things, for once you get here, the best of Egypt will be spread out at your feet.”
21-22 The sons of Israel did exactly as Pharaoh ordered. Joseph followed Pharaoh’s directive and made sure they had enough wagons. He gave them food and other supplies for their journey including an extra change of clothes. But to Benjamin he gave about seven and a half pounds of silver and five sets of clothes. 23 To his father, he sent even more: 10 donkeys loaded with the best Egyptian gifts and 10 female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provisions for his father for the journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers on their way. As they were leaving, he gave them one last piece of advice.
Joseph: Don’t argue along the way!
Once again Joseph and his brothers are parting company. But this time is much different: they know where he is and who he has become. Although Joseph has been separated from his brothers for many years, he remembers how they were; and he is counting on the fact that they are a quarrelsome bunch. He has intentionally given Benjamin more money and clothes than the others. That in itself is enough to cause bickering and squabbling among the crew. In addition, he knows they are worried. They have just received quite a shock. To learn after all these years that the brother they sold into slavery has become one of the most powerful men in the world takes time to process. The famine, the journey from Canaan, and the shock of seeing him again have taken a toll on them. Now they have to go back, get their families, and return. The road home leaves plenty of time to worry about what might become of them, plenty of time for nerves to fray and anger to stir. Joseph knows they have a hard journey ahead, and they need to pull together and not apart.
25 The brothers traveled east out of Egypt and eventually turned north to return to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan. 26 They couldn’t wait to tell him the good news.
Joseph’s Brothers: Father, Joseph is still alive! But more than that, he is ruler over all of the land of Egypt.
Their father was stunned; he couldn’t believe his ears. 27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him to Egypt, his spirits soared, and he resolved to make the trip.
Israel: 28 I have seen enough. My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die.
Genesis 45
Revised Geneva Translation
45 Then Joseph could not control himself before all who stood by him; but he cried, “Send everyone away!” And not one remained with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
2 And he wept, and cried, so that the Egyptians heard. The house of Pharaoh also heard.
3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him (for they were astonished at his presence).
4 Again, Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” And they came near. And he said, “I am Joseph, your brother; whom you sold into Egypt.
5 “Now, therefore, do not be sad or angry with yourselves, that you sold me here. For God sent me before you for your preservation.
6 “For now, two years of famine have been through the land; and five years are still to come wherein there shall be neither earing nor harvest.
7 “Therefore, God sent me before you to preserve your posterity in this land, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.
8 “Now, then, you did not send me here, but God, Who has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 “Hurry and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘Thus says your son, Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me, do not delay.
10 ‘And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen and shall be near me (you and your children and your children’s children and your sheep and your beasts and all that you have).
11 ‘Also, I will nourish you there (for there still remains five years of famine), lest you perish through poverty, (you and your household and all that you have).’
12 “And behold, your eyes see (as do the eyes of my brother, Benjamin) that my mouth speaks to you.
13 “Therefore, tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and hurry and bring my father here.”
14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept; and Benjamin wept on his neck.
15 Moreover, he kissed all his brothers, and wept upon them. And afterward, his brothers talked with him.
16 And the tidings came to Pharaoh’s house, so that they said, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” And it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and leave. Go to the land of Canaan.’
18 “And take your father and your household and come to me; and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt. And you shall eat of the fat of the land.
19 “And I command you, do this: Take chariots out of the land of Egypt, for your children and for your wives, and bring your father and come.
20 “Also, do not be concerned about your stuff. For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”
21 And the children of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them chariots, according to the commandment of Pharaoh. He also gave them food for the journey.
22 He gave them all, without exception, a change of clothing. But to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.
23 And to his father, also, he sent ten male donkeys, loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys, loaded with wheat and bread and meat for his father along the way.
24 So, he sent his brothers away; and they departed. And he said to them, “Do not argue on the way.”
25 Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan (to Jacob, their father)
26 and told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive! And he is also governor over all the land of Egypt!” And Jacob’s heart failed, for he did not believe them.
27 And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said to them. But when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to carry him, then the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived.
28 And Israel said, “I have enough. Joseph, my son, is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Genesis 45
Contemporary English Version
Joseph Tells His Brothers Who He Is
45 (A) Since Joseph could no longer control his feelings in front of his servants, he sent them out of the room. When he was alone with his brothers, he told them, “I am Joseph.” 2 Then he cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him and told about it in the king's[a] palace.
3 Joseph asked his brothers if his father was still alive, but they were too frightened to answer. 4 Joseph told them to come closer to him, and when they did, he said:
Yes, I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt. 5 Don't worry or blame yourselves for what you did. God is the one who sent me ahead of you to save lives.
6 There has already been a famine for two years, and for five more years no one will plow fields or harvest grain. 7 But God sent me on ahead of you to keep your families alive and to save you in this wonderful way. 8 After all, you weren't really the ones who sent me here—it was God. He made me the highest official in the king's court and placed me over all Egypt.
9 (B) Now hurry back and tell my father that his son Joseph says, “God has made me ruler of Egypt. Come here as quickly as you can. 10 You will live near me in the region of Goshen with your children and grandchildren, as well as with your sheep, goats, cattle, and everything else you own. 11 I will take care of you there during the next five years of famine. But if you don't come, you and your family and your animals will starve to death.”
12 All of you, including my brother Benjamin, can tell by what I have said that I really am Joseph. 13 Tell my father about my great power here in Egypt and about everything you have seen. Hurry and bring him here.
14 Joseph and Benjamin hugged each other and started crying. 15 Joseph was still crying as he kissed each of his other brothers. After this, they started talking with Joseph.
16 When it was told in the palace that Joseph's brothers had come, the king and his officials were happy. 17 So the king said to Joseph:
Tell your brothers to load their donkeys and return to Canaan. 18 Tell them to bring their father and their families here. I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they can eat and enjoy everything that grows there. 19 Also tell your brothers to take some wagons from Egypt for their wives and children to ride in. And be sure they bring their father. 20 They can leave their possessions behind, because they will be given the best of everything in Egypt.
21 Jacob's sons agreed to do what the king had said. And Joseph gave them wagons and food for their trip home, just as the king had ordered. 22 Joseph gave some new clothes to each of his brothers, but to Benjamin he gave five new outfits and 300 pieces of silver. 23 To his father he sent ten donkeys loaded with the best things in Egypt, and ten other donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other food for the return trip. 24 Then he sent his brothers off and told them, “Don't argue on the way home!”
25 Joseph's brothers left Egypt, and when they arrived in Canaan, 26 they told their father that Joseph was still alive and was the ruler of Egypt. But their father was so surprised that he could not believe them. 27 Then they told him everything Joseph had said. When he saw the wagons Joseph had sent, he felt much better 28 and said, “Now I can believe you! My son Joseph must really be alive, and I will get to see him before I die.”
Footnotes
- 45.2 the king: See the note at 12.15.
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