< Genesis 45 >
1 Then Joseph, unable to keep back his feelings before those who were with him, gave orders for everyone to be sent away, and no one was present when he made clear to his brothers who he was.
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood before him, so he cried out, "Send everyone away from me." So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
2 And so loud was his weeping, that it came to the ears of the Egyptians and all Pharaoh's house.
And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the house of Pharaoh heard about it.
3 And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph: is my father still living? But his brothers were not able to give him an answer for they were troubled before him.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But his brothers couldn't answer him, for they were terrified at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me. And they came near, And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sent into Egypt.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." So they moved closer. And he said, "I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
5 Now do not be troubled or angry with yourselves for sending me away, because God sent me before you to be the saviour of your lives.
Now do not be upset or angry with yourselves that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 For these two years have been years of need, and there are still five more years to come in which there will be no ploughing or cutting of grain.
For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
7 God sent me before you to keep you and yours living on earth so that you might become a great nation.
God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God: and he has made me as a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
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.
9 Now go quickly to my father, and say to him, Your son Joseph says, God has made me ruler over all the land of Egypt: come down to me straight away:
Now 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. Do not delay.
10 The land of Goshen will be your living-place, and you will be near me; you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks and herds and all you have:
You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, and your children's children, and your flocks, and your herds, and everything that you have.
11 And there I will take care of you, so that you and your family may not be in need, for there are still five bad years to come.
There I will provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, otherwise you and your household and all that you have would become destitute.
12 Now truly, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which says these things to you.
Look, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you.
13 Give my father word of all my glory in Egypt and of all you have seen; and come back quickly with my father.
So you must tell my father about all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. But you must hurry and bring my father down here."
14 Then, weeping, he took Benjamin in his arms, and Benjamin himself was weeping on Joseph's neck.
Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder.
15 Then he gave a kiss to all his brothers, weeping over them; and after that his brothers had no fear of talking to him.
And he kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
16 And news of these things went through Pharaoh's house, and it was said that Joseph's brothers were come; and it seemed good to Pharaoh and his servants.
Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, "Joseph's brothers have come." It pleased Pharaoh and his servants.
17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Say to your brothers, Put your goods on your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan;
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and go. Enter the land of Canaan.
18 And get your father and your families and come back to me: and I will give you all the good things of Egypt, and the fat of the land will be your food.
Take your father and your families and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the richness of the land.'
19 And say to them, This you are to do: take carts from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and get your father and come back.
Now you are commanded, 'Do this: Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father and come.
20 And take no thought for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.
Also, do not worry about your possessions, for the best of all of the land of Egypt is yours."
21 And the children of Israel did as he said; and Joseph gave them carts as had been ordered by Pharaoh, and food for their journey.
So the sons of Israel did that. And Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.
22 To every one of them he gave three changes of clothing; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred bits of silver and five changes of clothing.
He gave to all of them, to each one, a change of clothing. But to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.
23 And to his father he sent ten asses with good things from Egypt on their backs, and ten she-asses with grain and bread and food for his father on the journey.
To his father he sent the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and food and provision for his father on the journey.
24 And he sent his brothers on their way, and said to them, See that you have no argument on the road.
So he sent his brothers off, and as they departed he said to them, "Do not be fearful on the journey."
25 So they went up from Egypt and came to the land of Canaan, to their father Jacob.
So they went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.
26 And they said to him, Joseph is living, and is ruler over all the land of Egypt. And at this word Jacob was quite overcome, for he had no faith in it.
And they told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." But he was unmoved, because he did not believe them.
27 And they gave him an account of everything Joseph had said to them; and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent for them, his spirit came back to him:
But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to transport him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.
28 And Israel said, It is enough: Joseph my son is still living; I will go and see him before my death.
Then Israel said, "I'm convinced. My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."