Genesis 45:1-15
World English Bible
45 Then Joseph couldn’t control himself before all those who stood before him, and he called out, “Cause everyone to go out from me!” No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Does my father still live?”
His brothers couldn’t answer him; for they were terrified at his presence. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.”
They came near. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be no plowing and no harvest. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance. 8 So now it wasn’t you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t wait. 10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children’s children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will provide for you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have.”’ 12 Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. You shall hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 He fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.
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Genesis 45:1-15
International Standard Version
Joseph Reveals Himself
45 At this point, Joseph could not control his emotions any longer, so he cried out to everyone who was standing nearby, “Everybody! Leave me!” As a result, none of his staff[a] was anywhere near[b] him when he revealed himself to his brothers. 2 He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, including Pharaoh’s household.
3 Joseph blurted out, “I’m Joseph! Is my father really alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, because they had become terrified[c] to be in his presence.
4 Joseph implored his brothers, “Please come close to me.” So they did.
“I’m your brother Joseph, whom you sold into slavery in[d] Egypt!” he told them. 5 “But[e] don’t be distressed or angry at yourselves because you sold me here, because God sent me ahead of you all in order to deliver us.[f] 6 That’s because this famine has been going on for two years now in this region, and there are still five years left, during which there won’t be any plowing or harvesting. 7 God sent me ahead of you to keep you alive on the earth, and to save you all in a magnificent way. 8 As a result, it wasn’t you who sent me here, but God himself! He established me as a father-figure to Pharaoh himself! I’m in charge of his entire palace and ruler over the entire land of Egypt. 9 So hurry up, go back to my father, and tell him that his son Joseph tells him, ‘God has made me master of all of Egypt. Hurry up! Come live with me!’ 10 You are to live in the land of Goshen, near where I am—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything that you own. 11 I’ll provide for you there, since there are still five years of famine left to go, and you, your households, and everything you own would have otherwise become impoverished.
12 “Look, now! All of you can see me! And my own brother Benjamin can tell that it’s really me[g] speaking to you! 13 So go tell my father about all of my splendor in Egypt. Tell him about everything that you’ve seen. Be quick about it, and bring my father down here!”
14 Then he threw his arms around Benjamin[h] and wept as they embraced.[i] 15 He kissed all of his brothers and wept with them, too, and then his brothers were able to talk with him.
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- Genesis 45:1 Lit. result, no man
- Genesis 45:1 Lit. was standing nearby
- Genesis 45:3 Or dismayed
- Genesis 45:4 The Heb. lacks slavery in
- Genesis 45:5 Or So
- Genesis 45:5 The Heb. lacks us
- Genesis 45:12 Lit. it’s my mouth
- Genesis 45:14 Lit. he collapsed on Benjamin’s neck
- Genesis 45:14 Lit. as Benjamin wept on his neck
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