Jacob Arrives in Goshen

²⁸ Jacob^[a] sent Judah ahead of them to meet with Joseph, who would be guiding them to Goshen, and so they arrived. ²⁹ Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Jacob^[b] appeared in his presence, he embraced him^[c] and wept for a long time as he held on to him.^{[d] 30} “Now let me die,” Israel told Joseph, “since I’ve seen your face and confirmed that you’re still alive!”

³¹ But Joseph addressed his brothers and his father’s household and told them, “I’ll go up and tell Pharaoh that my brothers and my father’s household have arrived from Canaan to be with me. ³² I’ll mention that^[e] the men are shepherds. Because they’ve been taking care of livestock, they brought along their flocks, their herds, and everything else that they own. ³³ When Pharaoh calls for you and asks you ‘What’s your occupation?’ ³⁴ you are to tell him, ‘Your servants have been taking care of livestock since we were youths. We and our ancestors have taken care of livestock.’ That way, you’ll be able to live in the Goshen territory, since shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”