The First Book of Moses: Genesis

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- Chapter 45 -

Joseph was not able to control his feelings any longer. He did not want to cry in front of his servants, so he said to them loudly, “All of you go outside!” After they went outside, there were no Egyptians there with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was.

He cried so loudly that even the people outside heard it, and even the people in the king’s palace heard it.

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is our father still alive?” But his brothers were not able to reply, because they were frightened because of what he said.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me!” When they came closer to him, he said, “I am your brother Joseph! I am the one you sold to traders who brought me here to Egypt!

But now, do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for having sold me as a slave. It was God who sent me here ahead of you in order to keep you from dying in the famine.

There has been a famine in this country for two years, and it will continue for five more years. During this time, no one will plow the ground, and there will be no crops to harvest.

God sent me here ahead of you to keep you from starving, and to make sure that your descendants would survive.

Therefore, it was not you who sent me here; it was God who sent me here! He has caused me to become like a father to the king. I am in charge of everything in his palace and the governor of everyone in Egypt!

Joseph Sends for His Father

Now return to my father quickly and say to him, ’This is what your son Joseph says: “God has caused me to become the governor over the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me immediately!

You can live in the region of Goshen. You and your children and your grandchildren, your sheep and goats and cattle, and everything that you own, will be near me.

Since there will be five more years of famine, I will make sure that you have food. If you do not come here, you and your family and all of your servants will starve.”’

If you, and Benjamin, too, look closely at me, all of you will see that it is really I, Joseph, who am speaking to you.

Go and tell my father about how much honor I have here in Egypt. And tell him about everything else that you have seen. Bring my father down here quickly!”

Then he threw his arms around his younger brother Benjamin’s neck and cried. And Benjamin hugged him and cried.

Then he kissed his older brothers on their cheeks, and he cried. After that, his brothers started to talk with him.

Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

Someone went to the palace and told the news that Joseph’s brothers had come. The king and all his officials were pleased.

The king said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers this: ’Put loads of grain on your animals and return to Canaan land.

Then bring your father and your families back here. I will give you the best land in Egypt, and you will have the best food in the land to eat.’

Also tell this to your brothers: ’Take some carts from Egypt to carry your children and your wives, and get them and your father and come back here quickly.

Do not worry about bringing your possessions, because the best things in Egypt will be yours. Because of that, you will not need to bring things from Canaan.’”

Jacob’s sons did what the king commanded. Joseph gave them carts and food to eat along the way, as the king had ordered.

To each of them he gave new clothes, but he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of new clothes to Benjamin!

This is what he sent to his father: Ten male donkeys, loaded with some of the best things that came from Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for his father’s trip to Egypt.

Then he sent his brothers on their way, saying to them “Do not quarrel along the way!”

The Revival of Jacob

So the brothers left Egypt and came to their father Jacob in Canaan land.

One of them told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is the governor over all of Egypt!” Jacob was extremely astonished; he could not believe that it was true.

But they told him everything that Joseph had said to them, and Jacob saw the carts that Joseph had sent to carry him and his family and possessions to Egypt. Then Jacob’s shock ended.

He said, “What you have said is enough to convince me! My son Joseph is still alive, and I will go and see him before I die!”

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.

He wept aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.

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.

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.

Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

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.

God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.

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.

Joseph Sends for His Father

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.

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.

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.”’

Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

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.”

He fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.

He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.

Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

The report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” It pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan.

Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’

Now you are commanded to do this: Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

Also, don’t concern yourselves about your belongings, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.”

The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.

He sent the following to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father by the way.

So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.”

The Revival of Jacob

They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.

They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” His heart fainted, for he didn’t believe them.

They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived.

Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”