Add parallel Print Page Options

Joseph Tells His Brothers Who He Is

45 Then Joseph could not hide his feelings in front of all who stood by him. He cried, “Send all the people away from me.” So no one was with him when Joseph told his brothers who he was. He cried so loud that the Egyptians heard it, and those of Pharaoh’s house heard of it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were afraid in front of him.

Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me.” So they came near. He said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. But do not be troubled or angry with yourselves because you sold me here. For God sent me before you to save your life. For the land has been without food these two years. And there are five more years without plowing or gathering. God sent me before you to make sure that your people will keep living on the earth. Now many of you will be saved. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and ruler of all his house, and of all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go to my father. Say to him, ‘Your son Joseph says to you, “God has made me ruler of all Egypt. Come to me, and do not wait. 10 You will live in the land of Goshen, you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and cattle, and all you have. And you will be near me. 11 There I will take care of you, so that you and your family will not be in need. For there are still five years coming without food. By then you would have nothing.”’

12 “Now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. 13 You must tell my father of all my greatness in Egypt, and of all you have seen. You must hurry and bring my father here.” 14 Then he put his arms around his brother Benjamin and cried. And Benjamin cried on his neck. 15 Joseph kissed all his brothers and cried over them. After that his brothers talked with him.

16 When the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers this: ‘Load your animals and go to the land of Canaan. 18 Take your father and your families and come to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt. And you will live on the fat of the land.’ 19 Also say to them, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives. Bring your father and come. 20 Do not worry about the things that belong to you. For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

21 The sons of Israel did as he said. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had told him. And he gave them what they would need as they traveled. 22 He gave new clothes to each of them. But to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five times as many clothes. 23 To his father he sent ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and things his father would need as he traveled. 24 Then he sent his brothers away. As they left he said to them, “Do not be mad at each other on the way.”

25 So they went out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! He is ruler of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob’s heart almost stopped, because he did not believe them. 27 So they told him all the things that Joseph had said to them. And when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the life of Jacob’s spirit returned. 28 Israel said, “It is enough. My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Jacob and His Family Go to Egypt

46 So Israel traveled with all he had to Beersheba. There he gave gifts to the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to Israel in special dreams in the night, saying, “Jacob, Jacob.” And Jacob answered, “Here I am.” He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go to Egypt. For I will make you a great nation there. I will go with you to Egypt. I will bring you out again. And Joseph’s hand will close your eyes.”

Then Jacob left Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They took their animals and all the things they owned from the land of Canaan. And they came to Egypt, Jacob and all his children with him, his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters. He brought all his children with him to Egypt.

These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Reuben’s sons Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon and Jahleel. 15 These are the sons who were born to Leah and Jacob in Paddan-aram, with his daughter Dinah. He had thirty-three sons and daughters.

16 The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. 18 These are the sons of Jacob and Zilpah, the woman whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah. She gave birth to sixteen of Jacob’s children.

19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 The sons of Joseph in the land of Egypt were Manasseh and Ephraim. Their mother was Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the religious leader of On. 21 The sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These are the sons of Jacob and Rachel, fourteen sons in all. 23 Dan’s son was Hushim. 24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These are the sons of Jacob and Bilhah, the woman whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. There were seven sons in all.

26 All the people who came to Egypt with Jacob, the children of his own body, were sixty-six people in all. Added to this were the wives of Jacob’s sons. 27 Two sons were born to Joseph in Egypt. So all the people of Jacob’s family when he came to Egypt were seventy.

Jacob Lives in Goshen

28 Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to learn the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen. 29 Then Joseph made his wagon ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. When he came to him, they put their arms around each other and cried for a long time. 30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”

31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s family, “I will go and tell Pharaoh, ‘My brothers and my father’s family have come to me from the land of Canaan. 32 And the men are shepherds, for they have taken care of animals. They have brought their flocks and cattle and all they have.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your work?’ 34 you answer, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle since we were young, both we and our fathers.’ Then he will let you live in the land of Goshen. For the Egyptians look down upon every shepherd.”

Joseph Makes Himself Known

45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself(A) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”(B) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept(C) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.(D)

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”(E) But his brothers were not able to answer him,(F) because they were terrified at his presence.(G)

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”(H) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!(I) And now, do not be distressed(J) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,(K) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.(L) For two years now there has been famine(M) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant(N) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a](O)

“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.(P) He made me father(Q) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.(R) Now hurry(S) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.(T) 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen(U) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.(V) 11 I will provide for you there,(W) because five years of famine(X) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’(Y)

12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,(Z) that it is really I who am speaking to you.(AA) 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt(AB) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.(AC)

14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin(AD) embraced him,(AE) weeping. 15 And he kissed(AF) all his brothers and wept over them.(AG) Afterward his brothers talked with him.(AH)

16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come,(AI) Pharaoh and all his officials(AJ) were pleased.(AK) 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals(AL) and return to the land of Canaan,(AM) 18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt(AN) and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’(AO)

19 “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts(AP) from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. 20 Never mind about your belongings,(AQ) because the best of all Egypt(AR) will be yours.’”

21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts,(AS) as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.(AT) 22 To each of them he gave new clothing,(AU) but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels[b] of silver and five sets of clothes.(AV) 23 And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys(AW) loaded with the best things(AX) of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.(AY) 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”(AZ)

25 So they went up out of Egypt(BA) and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.(BB) 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”(BC) Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.(BD) 27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts(BE) Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “I’m convinced!(BF) My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”(BG)

Jacob Goes to Egypt

46 So Israel(BH) set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba,(BI) he offered sacrifices(BJ) to the God of his father Isaac.(BK)

And God spoke to Israel(BL) in a vision at night(BM) and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,”(BN) he replied.

“I am God, the God of your father,”(BO) he said. “Do not be afraid(BP) to go down to Egypt,(BQ) for I will make you into a great nation(BR) there.(BS) I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.(BT) And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.(BU)

Then Jacob left Beersheba,(BV) and Israel’s(BW) sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts(BX) that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt,(BY) taking with them their livestock and the possessions(BZ) they had acquired(CA) in Canaan. Jacob brought with him to Egypt(CB) his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.(CC)

These are the names of the sons of Israel(CD) (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:

Reuben the firstborn(CE) of Jacob.

The sons of Reuben:(CF)

Hanok, Pallu,(CG) Hezron and Karmi.(CH)

10 The sons of Simeon:(CI)

Jemuel,(CJ) Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar(CK) and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

11 The sons of Levi:(CL)

Gershon,(CM) Kohath(CN) and Merari.(CO)

12 The sons of Judah:(CP)

Er,(CQ) Onan,(CR) Shelah, Perez(CS) and Zerah(CT) (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).(CU)

The sons of Perez:(CV)

Hezron and Hamul.(CW)

13 The sons of Issachar:(CX)

Tola, Puah,[c](CY) Jashub[d](CZ) and Shimron.

14 The sons of Zebulun:(DA)

Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,[e](DB) besides his daughter Dinah.(DC) These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

16 The sons of Gad:(DD)

Zephon,[f](DE) Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

17 The sons of Asher:(DF)

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah.

Their sister was Serah.

The sons of Beriah:

Heber and Malkiel.

18 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah,(DG) whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah(DH)—sixteen in all.

19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:(DI)

Joseph and Benjamin.(DJ) 20 In Egypt, Manasseh(DK) and Ephraim(DL) were born to Joseph(DM) by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.[g](DN)

21 The sons of Benjamin:(DO)

Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.(DP)

22 These were the sons of Rachel(DQ) who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

23 The son of Dan:(DR)

Hushim.(DS)

24 The sons of Naphtali:(DT)

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah,(DU) whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel(DV)—seven in all.

26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons.(DW) 27 With the two sons[h] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt,(DX) the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy[i] in all.(DY)

28 Now Jacob sent Judah(DZ) ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.(EA) When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot(EB) made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.(EC) As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[j] and wept(ED) for a long time.(EE)

30 Israel(EF) said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”(EG)

31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan,(EH) have come to me.(EI) 32 The men are shepherds;(EJ) they tend livestock,(EK) and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’(EL) 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’(EM) 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants(EN) have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’(EO) Then you will be allowed to settle(EP) in the region of Goshen,(EQ) for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.(ER)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 45:7 Or save you as a great band of survivors
  2. Genesis 45:22 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
  3. Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Puvah
  4. Genesis 46:13 Samaritan Pentateuch and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Num. 26:24 and 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text Iob
  5. Genesis 46:15 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  6. Genesis 46:16 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Num. 26:15); Masoretic Text Ziphion
  7. Genesis 46:20 That is, Heliopolis
  8. Genesis 46:27 Hebrew; Septuagint the nine children
  9. Genesis 46:27 Hebrew (see also Exodus 1:5 and note); Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14) seventy-five
  10. Genesis 46:29 Hebrew around him

45 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:

10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:

11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.

13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

18 And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is your's.

21 And the children of Israel did so: and 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 raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

46 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:

I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:

His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.

And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.

10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.

11 And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12 And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.

13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.

14 And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.

15 These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.

16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.

17 And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.

18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.

19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.

20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

21 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.

22 These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.

23 And the sons of Dan; Hushim.

24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.

25 These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.

26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six;

27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.

28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;

32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.

33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?

34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.