Genesis 45:16-28

Common English Bible

Joseph’s brothers return for Jacob

¹⁶ When Pharaoh’s household heard the message “Joseph’s brothers have arrived,” both Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. ¹⁷ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Give your brothers these instructions: Load your pack animals and go back to the land of Canaan. ¹⁸ Get your father and your households and come back to me. Let me provide you with good things from the land of Egypt so that you may eat the land’s best food. ¹⁹ Give them these instructions too: Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your children and wives, and pick up your father and come back. ²⁰ Don’t worry about your possessions because you will have good things from the entire land of Egypt.”

²¹ So Israel’s sons did that. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh instructed, and he gave them provisions for the road. ²² To all of them he gave a change of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. ²³ To his father he sent ten male donkeys carrying goods from Egypt, ten female donkeys carrying grain and bread, and rations for his father for the road. ²⁴ He sent his brothers off; and as they were leaving, he told them, “Don’t be worried about the trip.”^[a]

²⁵ So they left Egypt and returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. ²⁶ They announced to him, “Joseph’s still alive! He’s actually ruler of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob’s heart nearly failed, and he didn’t believe them.

²⁷ When they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, Jacob recovered. ²⁸ Then Israel said, “This is too much! My son Joseph is still alive! Let me go and see him before I die.”