Genesis 45:1-28

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.” Then Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin’s neck, sobbing, and Benjamin wept on Joseph’s neck. With tears streaming down his face, Joseph kissed each brother, one by one. After their tearful, emotional embrace, they took time to speak brother-to-brother. The news reached Pharaoh’s house: “Joseph’s brothers have come.” Pharaoh and his officials were greatly pleased when they heard it. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers: ‘Load your donkeys and return to Canaan. Get your father and your families and come back to me. I will give you the best of the land in Egypt, and you will enjoy the fat of the land.’ Tell them also: ‘Take Egyptian wagons with you for your wives and little ones and bring their father with them. Give no thought to leaving your possessions behind; the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’ ” Israel’s sons did as they were instructed. Joseph gave them wagons, as the king had ordered, and provided food for their journey. He gave each of them a set of garments, and to Benjamin he also gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of garments. He sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best Egyptian goods and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other provisions for the journey. Then he sent his brothers off, admonishing them, “Don’t quarrel along the way.” And they departed. They left Egypt and went back home to their father Jacob in Canaan. When they arrived, they ran to their father and announced, “Joseph is still alive! Not only that, he is the ruler of all Egypt!” The news so stunned Jacob that he nearly fainted. He could not believe his ears! But when they told him all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to take him to Egypt, he recovered from the shock. “My son Joseph is still alive!” Israel said. “Now I’m convinced! I must go to see him before I die.”

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