Genesis 45:16-28

International Children’s Bible

¹⁶ The king of Egypt and his officers learned that Joseph’s brothers had come. And they were very happy about this. ¹⁷ So the king said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers to load their animals and go back to the land of Canaan. ¹⁸ Tell them to bring their father and their families back here to me. I will give them the best land in Egypt. And they will eat the best food we have here. ¹⁹ Tell them to take some wagons from Egypt for their children and their wives. And tell them to bring their father back also. ²⁰ Tell them not to worry about bringing any of their things with them. We will give them the best of what we have in Egypt.”

²¹ So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them wagons as the king had ordered. And he gave them food for their trip. ²² He gave each brother a change of clothes. But he gave Benjamin five changes of clothes. And Joseph gave him about seven and one-half pounds of silver. ²³ Joseph also sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt. And he sent ten female donkeys. They were loaded with grain, bread and other food for his father on his trip back. ²⁴ Then Joseph told his brothers to go. As they were leaving, he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way home.”

²⁵ So the brothers left Egypt and went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. ²⁶ They told him, “Joseph is still alive. He is the ruler over all the land of Egypt.” Their father was shocked and did not believe them. ²⁷ But the brothers told him everything Joseph had said. Then Jacob saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back to Egypt. Now Jacob felt better. ²⁸ Jacob, also called Israel, said, “Now I believe you. My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”