Gen 45 | LSB | STEP | Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he called out, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

Genesis 45

Joseph Sends for Jacob

1 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he called out, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there ^{▼▼Lit stood}was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 Then he ^{▼▼Lit gave forth his voice in weeping}wept loudly. And the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were terrified at his presence.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” And they came near. And he said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 So now do not be grieved or angry ^{▼▼Lit in your eyes}with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 So God sent me before you to establish for you a remnant in the earth and to keep you alive for a great remnant of survivors. 8 So now, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has set me as a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has set me as lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10 And you shall ^{▼▼Lit dwell}live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. 11 There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, lest you and your household and all that you have be impoverished.” ’ 12 And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. 13 So you must tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

16 Now the ^{▼▼Lit voice}news was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” And it was good in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and ^{▼▼Lit come, go}go to the land of Canaan, 18 and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the ^{▼▼Lit good}best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ 19 Now you are commanded, ‘Do this: ^{▼▼Lit take for yourselves}take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. 20 Now do not ^{▼▼Lit let your eye look with regret upon your vessels}concern yourselves with your goods, for the ^{▼▼Lit good}best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”

21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the ^{▼▼Lit mouth}command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 To ^{▼▼Lit all of them he gave each man}each of them he gave changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. 23 Now to his father he sent ^{▼▼Lit like this}as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the ^{▼▼Lit good}best things of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father ^{▼▼Lit for}on the journey.

24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. And he said to them, “Do not be stirred up on the journey.” 25 Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. 26 And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But ^{▼▼Lit his heart grew numb}his heart was stunned, for he did not believe them. 27 Yet they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him. Then the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “It is enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”