Genesis 45:1-13

Joseph could no longer contain his pent-up feelings, so he cried out to his attendants, “Leave the room!” So no one was there when Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers. He began to weep so loudly that the Egyptians heard it—even as far away as Pharaoh’s house! Joseph, through his tears, said to his brothers in Hebrew: “I am Joseph! Is father still alive?” His brothers stood there stunned, scared, and speechless. Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come close to me.” Inching forward, they came close to him. Then Joseph said, “It’s me—your brother—whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. I am Joseph! Now don’t be grieved. Don’t blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was God who sent me ahead of you in order to save lives. The famine has now endured for two years, and the land will not bear fruit for five more years. God sent me ahead of you to ensure that you would live and have descendants. He has saved your lives through this marvelous act of deliverance. So it was God, not you, who sent me here. God has made me a father to Pharaoh, the master of his entire household, and the ruler over all of Egypt. “Hurry back to my father and tell him that you have found me alive. Tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me ruler of all Egypt. Come to me without delay. You will settle in the land of Goshen, where you will be near me—you and all your children and your grandchildren, your flocks and herds and all that you possess. For there will be five more years of famine, but I will provide all that you need to live in Goshen. You, your household, and all that you have will not live in poverty.” ’ “My brothers, you each can see for yourselves, and Benjamin can too, that I really am Joseph, for I’m speaking to you face-to-face in our own language. You must tell father everything you have seen here and how greatly I am honored in Egypt. But hurry and bring my father here to me.”