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16 Now (A)the [a]news was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” And it was good in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and [b]go to the land of Canaan, 18 and take your father and your households and come to me, and (B)I will give you the [c]best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ 19 Now you are commanded, ‘Do this: [d]take (C)wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. 20 Now do not [e]concern yourselves with your goods, for the [f]best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them (D)wagons according to the [g]command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 To [h]each of them he gave (E)changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and (F)five changes of garments. 23 Now to his father he sent [i]as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the [j]best things of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father [k]on the journey.

24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. And he said to them, “Do not be stirred up on the journey.” 25 Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. 26 And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But [l]his heart was stunned, for (G)he did not believe them. 27 Yet they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and he saw the (H)wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him. Then the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “It is enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 45:16 Lit voice
  2. Genesis 45:17 Lit come, go
  3. Genesis 45:18 Lit good
  4. Genesis 45:19 Lit take for yourselves
  5. Genesis 45:20 Lit let your eye look with regret upon your vessels
  6. Genesis 45:20 Lit good
  7. Genesis 45:21 Lit mouth
  8. Genesis 45:22 Lit all of them he gave each man
  9. Genesis 45:23 Lit like this
  10. Genesis 45:23 Lit good
  11. Genesis 45:23 Lit for
  12. Genesis 45:26 Lit his heart grew numb

Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

16 The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this.

17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. 18 Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.’”

19 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here. 20 Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

21 So the sons of Jacob[a] did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey. 22 And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces[b] of silver. 23 He also sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need on his journey.

24 So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, “Don’t quarrel about all this along the way!” 25 And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.

26 “Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it. 27 But when they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits revived.

28 Then Jacob exclaimed, “It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die.”

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Footnotes

  1. 45:21 Hebrew Israel; also in 45:28. See note on 35:21.
  2. 45:22 Hebrew 300 [shekels], about 7.5 pounds or 3.4 kilograms in weight.