Genesis 45 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

Joseph tells his brothers who he is

1 Joseph couldn’t control himself anymore in front of all his attendants. He cried out, ‘Make everyone leave me!’ So there wasn’t anyone with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was. 2 He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. Everyone in Pharaoh’s house heard about it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers weren’t able to answer him. They were too afraid of him. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’ So they did. Then he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph. I’m the one you sold into Egypt. 5 But don’t be upset. And don’t be angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me ahead of you to save many lives. 6 For two years now, there hasn’t been enough food in the land. And for the next five years, people won’t be ploughing or gathering crops. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to keep some of you alive on earth. He sent me here to save your lives by an act of mighty power. 8 ‘So then, it wasn’t you who sent me here. It was God. He made me like a father to Pharaoh. He made me master of Pharaoh’s entire house. God made me ruler of the whole land of Egypt. 9 Now hurry back to my father. Say to him, “Your son Joseph says, ‘God has made me master of the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t waste any time. 10 You will live in the area of Goshen. You, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you have will be near me. 11 There I will provide everything you need. There are still five years to come when there won’t be enough food. If you don’t come down here, you and your family and everyone who belongs to you will lose everything.’ ” 12 ‘My brothers, I am Joseph. You can see for yourselves that I am the one speaking to you. My brother Benjamin can see it too. 13 Tell my father about all the honour given to me in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.’ 14 Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept. Benjamin also hugged him and wept. 15 Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After that, his brothers talked with him. 16 The news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come. Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Here’s what I want you to tell your brothers. Say to them, “Load your animals. Return to the land of Canaan. 18 Bring your father and your families back to me. I’ll give you the best land in Egypt. You can enjoy all the good things in the land.” 19 ‘And here’s something else I want you to tell them. Say to them, “Take some carts from Egypt. Your children and your wives can use them. Get your father and come back. 20 Don’t worry about the things you have back there. The best of everything in Egypt will belong to you.” ’ 21 Then the sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded. He also gave them supplies for their journey. 22 He gave new clothes to each of them. But he gave Benjamin more than 3.5 kilograms of silver. He also gave him five sets of clothes. 23 He sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt. He also sent ten female donkeys loaded with corn and bread and other supplies for his journey. 24 Then Joseph sent his brothers away. As they were leaving he said to them, ‘Don’t argue on the way!’ 25 So they went up out of Egypt. They came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26 They told him, ‘Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of the whole land of Egypt.’ Jacob was shocked. He didn’t believe them. 27 So they told him everything Joseph had said to them. Jacob saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back. That gave new life to their father Jacob. 28 Israel said, ‘I believe it now! My son Joseph is still alive. I’ll go and see him before I die.’

English Standard Version

Joseph Provides for His Brothers and Family

1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. (Ge 43:31; Es 5:10) 2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. (Ac 7:13) 4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. (Ge 37:28) 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. (Ge 50:20; Ps 105:16) 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. (Ge 41:30; Ex 34:21; De 21:4; 1Sa 8:12; Isa 30:24)

Ge 41:30Ex 34:21De 21:41Sa 8:12Isa 30:24

7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. (Ge 41:43; Ge 45:26) 9 Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry. 10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. (Ge 46:34; Ge 47:1; Ge 47:4; Ge 47:6; Ge 47:11; Ge 47:27; Ge 50:8; Ex 8:22; Jos 10:41)

Ge 46:34Ge 47:1Ge 47:4Ge 47:6Ge 47:11Ge 47:27Ge 50:8Ex 8:22Jos 10:41

11 There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ (Ge 47:12; Ge 50:21) 12 And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. (Ge 42:23) 13 You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” (Ac 7:14) 14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him. 16 When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, 18 and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ (Ge 47:6) 19 And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. (Ge 46:5) 20 Have no concern for^[1] your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’” 21 The sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. (Ge 45:19) 22 To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels^[2] of silver and five changes of clothes. (Ge 43:34; 2Ki 5:5; 2Ki 5:22) 23 To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.” (Ge 42:22) 25 So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. 26 And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. (Ge 45:19; Ge 45:21; Ge 46:5) 28 And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”