1 Then Joseph couldn't control himself before all those who stood
before him, and he cried, "Cause every man to go out from me!" There stood no
man with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept
aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 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.
4 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. 5 Now don't be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you
sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two
years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which
there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God sent me before you to
preserve you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great
deliverance. 8 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 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. 10 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. 11 There I will nourish you; for there
are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your
household, and all that you have."' 12 Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes
of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.
13 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."
14 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. After that his
brothers talked with him.
16 The report of it was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, "Joseph's
brothers have come." It pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17 Pharaoh
said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this. Load your animals, and
go, travel to the land of Canaan. 18 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.' 19 Now you are commanded: do
this. Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your
wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Also, don't concern yourselves
about your belongings, for the good of all of the land of Egypt is yours."
21 The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the
commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 22 To all of
them he gave each man changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three
hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. 23 To his father,
he sent after this manner: 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. 24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to
them, "See that you don't quarrel on the way."
25 They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob
their father. 26 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. 27 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. 28 Israel said, "It is enough. Joseph my son
is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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