Genesis 45:18

New Century Version

and bring their father and their families back here to me. I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they will eat the best food we have here.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Mitzrayim, and you will eat the fat of the land.'

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.'

New English Translation
Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you the best land in Egypt and you will eat the best of the land.'

Amplified Bible
and get your father and your households and come to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat (the finest produce) of the land.'

New American Standard Bible
and take your father and your households and come to me; and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
And take your father, and your houshoulds, and come to me, and I wil giue you the best of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eate of the fat of the land.

Legacy Standard Bible
and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.'

Contemporary English Version
Have them bring their father and their families here. I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they can eat and enjoy everything that grows on it.

Complete Jewish Bible
take your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you good property in Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.

Darby Translation
and take your father and your households, and come to me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

Easy-to-Read Version
Tell them to bring your father and their families back here to me. I will give you the best land in Egypt to live on. And your family can eat the best food we have here.

English Standard Version
and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.'

George Lamsa Translation
And take your father and your households, and come to me; and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat of the fat of the land.

Good News Translation
Let them get their father and their families and come back here. I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they will have more than enough to live on.

Christian Standard Bible®
Get your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you can eat from the richness of the land.’

Literal Translation
And take your father, and your houses, and come to me. And I will give to you the good of the land of Egypt; and you shall eat the fat of the land.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
take youre father and youre housholdes, and come vnto me, I wyl geue you of the goodes in the lade of Egipte, so that ye shall eate the fatt in the lande.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And get your father and your families and come back to me: and I will give you all the good things of Egypt, and the fat of the land will be your food.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Take your father, and your housesholdes, and come vnto me, and I wyll geue you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eate the fat of the lande.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.

King James Version (1611)
And take your father, and your housholds, and come vnto mee: and I wil giue you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And take up your father, and your possessions, and come to me; and I will give you of all the goods of Egypt, and ye shall eat the marrow of the land.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Then bring your father and your families and return to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat from the fat of the land.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and take ye fro thennus youre fadir, and kynrede, and come ye to me; and Y schal yyue to you alle the goodis of Egipt, that ye ete the merow of the lond.

Young's Literal Translation
and take your father, and your households, and come unto me, and I give to you the good of the land of Egypt, and eat ye the fat of the land.

Update Bible Version
and take your father and your households, and come to me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.

Webster's Bible Translation
And take your father, and your households, and come to me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

World English Bible
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.'

New King James Version
Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.

New Living Translation
Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.'"

New Life Bible
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.'

New Revised Standard
Take your father and your households and come to me, so that I may give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you may enjoy the fat of the land.'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and fetch your father and your households and come in unto me, - that I may give you the best of the land of Egypt, and eat ye the fat of the land.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And bring away from thence your father and kindred, and come to me; and I will give you all the good things of Egypt, that you may eat the marrow of the land.

Revised Standard Version
and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.'

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ When the king of Egypt and his officers learned that Joseph's brothers had come, they were very happy. ¹⁷ So the king said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers to load their animals and go back to the land of Canaan ¹⁸ and bring their father and their families back here to me. I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they will eat the best food we have here. ¹⁹ Tell them to take some wagons from Egypt for their children and their wives and to bring their father back also. ²⁰ Tell them not to worry about bringing any of their things with them, because we will give them the best of what we have in Egypt." ²¹ So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them wagons as the king had ordered and food for their trip. ²² He gave each brother a change of clothes, but he gave Benjamin five changes of clothes and about seven and one-half pounds of silver. ²³ Joseph also sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for his father on his trip back. ²⁴ Then Joseph told his brothers to go. As they were leaving, he said to them, "Don't quarrel on the way home."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the fat: Genesis 27:28, Genesis 47:6, Numbers 18:12, Numbers 18:29, Deuteronomy 32:14, Psalms 81:16, Psalms 147:14, Isaiah 28:1, Isaiah 28:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 45:20 - the good Deuteronomy 23:7 - because thou

Cross-References

Genesis 27:28
May God give you plenty of rain and good soil so that you will have plenty of grain and new wine.

Genesis 47:6
and you may choose any place in Egypt for them to live. Give your father and your brothers the best land; let them live in the land of Goshen. And if any of them are skilled shepherds, put them in charge of my sheep and cattle."

Numbers 18:12
"And I give you all the best olive oil and all the best new wine and grain. This is what the Israelites give to me, the Lord , from the first crops they harvest.

Numbers 18:29
Choose the best and holiest part from what you are given as the portion you must give to the Lord .'

Deuteronomy 32:14
There were milk curds from the cows and milk from the flock; there were fat sheep and goats. There were sheep and goats from Bashan and the best of the wheat. You drank the juice of grapes.

Psalms 81:16
But I would give you the finest wheat and fill you with honey from the rocks."

Psalms 147:14
He brings peace to your country and fills you with the finest grain.

Isaiah 28:1
How terrible it will be for Samaria, the pride of Israel's drunken people! That beautiful crown of flowers is just a dying plant set on a hill above a rich valley where drunkards live.

Isaiah 28:4
That beautiful crown of flowers is just a dying plant set on a hill above a rich valley. That city will be like the first fig of summer. Anyone who sees it quickly picks it and eats it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And take your father, and your households,.... Or families, for they were all married persons, and had children, and no doubt servants also: all were to be brought with them,

and come unto me; into his kingdom, to his metropolis, and to his palace, and into his presence:

and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt; the best things which it affords, and the best and most fruitful part of it, as he afterwards did, which was the land of Goshen:

and ye shall eat the fat of the land; the choicest fruits of the earth, such as were produced in fields and gardens; meaning that they should have the finest of the wheat for themselves, and the fattest pastures for their flocks.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph Made Himself Known to His Brethren

10. גשׁן gôshen, Goshen, Gesem (Arabias related perhaps to גשׁם geshem “rain, shower”), a region on the borders of Egypt and Arabia, near the gulf of Suez.

The appeal of Judah is to Joseph irresistible. The repentance of his brothers, and their attachment to Benjamin, have been demonstrated in the most satisfactory manner. This is all that Joseph sought. It is evident, throughout the whole narrative, that he never aimed at exercising any supremacy over his brothers. As soon as he has obtained an affecting proof of the right disposition of his brothers, he conceals himself no longer. And the speech of Judah, in which, no doubt, his brothers concurred, does equal credit to his head and heart.

Genesis 45:1-15

Joseph now reveals to his brothers the astonishing fact that he himself, their long-lost brother, stands before them. “He could not refrain himself.” Judah has painted the scene at home to the life; and Joseph can hold out no longer. “Have every man out from me.” Delicacy forbids the presence of strangers at this unrestrained outburst of tender emotion among the brothers. Besides, the workings of conscience, bringing up the recollections of the past, and the errors, to which some reference is now unavoidable, are not to be unveiled to the public eye. “He lifted up his voice in weeping.” The expression of the feelings is free and uncontrolled in a simple and primitive state of society. This prevails still in the East. And Mizraim heard. The Egyptians of Joseph’s house would hear, and report to others, this unusual utterance of deep feeling. “I am Joseph.” The natural voice, the native tongue, the long-remembered features, would, all at once, strike the apprehension of the brothers.

The remembrance of their crime, the absolute power of Joseph, and the justice of revenge, would rush upon their minds. No wonder they were silent and troubled at his presence. “Is my father yet alive?” This question shows where Joseph’s thoughts were. He had been repeatedly assured of his father’s welfare. But the long absence and the yearning of a fond heart bring the question up again. It was reassuring to the brethren, as it was far away from any thought of their fault or their punishment. “Come near unto me.” Joseph sees the trouble of his brothers, and discerns its cause. He addresses them a second time, and plainly refers to the fact of their having sold him. He points out that this was overruled of God to the saving of life; and, hence, that it was not they, but God who had mercifully sent him to Egypt to preserve all their lives. “For these two years.” Hence, we perceive that the sons of Jacob obtained a supply, on the first occasion, which was sufficient for a year. “To leave to you a remnant in the land.”

This is usually and most naturally referred to a surviving portion of their race. “Father to Pharaoh;” a second author of life to him. Having touched very slightly on their transgression, and endeavored to divert their thoughts to the wonderful providence of God displayed in the whole affair, he lastly preoccupies their minds with the duty and necessity of bringing down their father and all their families to dwell in Egypt. “In the land of Goshen.” This was a pasture land on the borders of Egypt and Arabia, perhaps at some distance from the Nile, and watered by the showers of heaven, like their own valleys. He then appeals to their recollections and senses, whether he was not their very brother Joseph. “My mouth that speaketh unto you;” not by an interpreter, but with his own lips, and in their native tongue. Having made this needful and reassuring explanation, he breaks through all distance, and falls upon Benjamin’s neck and kisses him, and all his other brothers; after which their hearts are soothed, and they speak freely with him.

Genesis 45:16-20

The intelligence that Joseph’s brethren are come reaches the ears of Pharaoh, and calls forth a cordial invitation to come and settle in Egypt. “It was good in the eyes of Pharaoh.” They highly esteemed Joseph on his own account; and that he should prove to be a member of a respectable family, and have the pleasure of again meeting with his nearest relatives, were circumstances that afforded them a real gratification. “The good of the land of Mizraim.” The good which it produces. Wagons; two-wheeled cars, fit for driving over the rough country, where roads were not formed. “Let not your eye care for your stuff;” your houses, or pieces of furniture which must be left behind. The family of Jacob thus come to Egypt, not by conquest or purchase, but by hospitable invitation, as free, independent visitors or settlers. As they were free to come or not, so were they free to stay or leave.

Genesis 45:21-24

The brothers joyfully accept the hospitable invitation of Pharaoh, and set about the necessary arrangements for their journey. “The sons of Israel;” including Joseph, who had his own part to perform in the proposed arrangement. “At the mouth of Pharaoh;” as he had authorized him to do. “Changes of raiment;” fine raiment for change on a high or happy day. To Benjamin he gives special marks of fraternal affection, which no longer excite any jealous feeling among the brothers, as the reasonableness of them is obvious. “Fall out.” The original word means to be stirred by any passion, whether fear or anger, and interpreters explain it as they conceive the circumstances and the context require. The English version corresponds with the Septuagint ὀργίζεσθε orgizesthe and with Onkelos. It refers, perhaps, to the little flashes of heat, impatience, and contention that are accustomed to disturb the harmony of companions in the East, who behave sometimes like overgrown children. Such ebullitions often lead to disastrous consequences. Joseph’s exile arose from petty jealousies among brethren.

Genesis 45:25-28

The returning brothers inform their father of the existence and elevation of Joseph in Egypt. The aged patriarch is overcome for the moment, but at length awakens to a full apprehension of the joyful news. His heart fainted; ceased to beat for a time, fluttered, sank within him. The news was too good for him to venture all at once to believe it. But the words of Joseph, which they recite, and the wagons which he had sent, at length lead to the conviction that it must be indeed true. He is satisfied. His only thought is to go and see Joseph before he dies. A sorrow of twenty-two years’ standing has now been wiped away.