Genesis 45

Joseph Makes Himself Known

Then Joseph could no longer control himself^a before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”^b So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept^c so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.^d

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”^e But his brothers were not able to answer him,^f because they were terrified at his presence.^g

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”^h When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!ⁱ And now, do not be distressed^j and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,^k because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.^l For two years now there has been famine^m in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnantⁿ on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^o

“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.^p He made me father^q to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.^r Now hurry^s back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.^t You shall live in the region of Goshen^u and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.^v I will provide for you there,^w because five years of famine^x are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’^y

“You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,^z that it is really I who am speaking to you.^a Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt^b and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.^c”

Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin^d embraced him,^e weeping. And he kissed^f all his brothers and wept over them.^g Afterward his brothers talked with him.^h

When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come,ⁱ Pharaoh and all his officials^j were pleased.^k Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals^l and return to the land of Canaan,^m and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egyptⁿ and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’^o

“You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts^p from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. Never mind about your belongings,^q because the best of all Egypt^r will be yours.’ ”

So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts,^s as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.^t To each of them he gave new clothing,^u but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.^v And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys^w loaded with the best things^x of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.^y Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”^z

So they went up out of Egypt^a and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.^b They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”^c Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.^d But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts^e Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. And Israel said, “I’m convinced!^f My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”^g