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Joseph Makes Himself Known

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)

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)

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)

"You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,^(z) that it is really I who am speaking to you.^(aa)

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)"

Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin^(ad) embraced him,^(ae) weeping.

And he kissed^(af) all his brothers and wept over them.^(ag) Afterward his brothers talked with him.^(ah)

When the news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come,^(ai) Pharaoh and all his officials^(aj) were pleased.^(ak)

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals^(al) and return to the land of Canaan,^(am)

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)

"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.

Never mind about your belongings,^(aq) because the best of all Egypt^(ar) will be yours.'"

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)

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)

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)

Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, "Don't quarrel on the way!"^(az)

So they went up out of Egypt^(ba) and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.^(bb)

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)

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.

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

So Israel^(a) set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba,^(b) he offered sacrifices^(c) to the God of his father Isaac.^(d)

And God spoke to Israel^(e) in a vision at night^(f) and said, "Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I am,"^(g) he replied.

"I am God, the God of your father,"^(h) he said. "Do not be afraid⁽ⁱ⁾ to go down to Egypt,^(j) for I will make you into a great nation^(k) there.^(l)

I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.^(m) And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes.⁽ⁿ⁾"

Then Jacob left Beersheba,^(o) and Israel's^(p) sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts^(q) that Pharaoh had sent to transport him.

So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt,^(r) taking with them their livestock and the possessions^(s) they had acquired^(t) in Canaan.

Jacob brought with him to Egypt^(u) his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.^(v)

These are the names of the sons of Israel^(w) (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn^(x) of Jacob.

The sons of Reuben:^(y) Hanok, Pallu,^(z) Hezron and Karmi.^(aa)

The sons of Simeon:^(ab) Jemuel,^(ac) Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar^(ad) and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

The sons of Levi:^(ae) Gershon,^(af) Kohath^(ag) and Merari.^(ah)

The sons of Judah:^(ai) Er,^(aj) Onan,^(ak) Shelah, Perez^(al) and Zerah^(am) (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).^(an) The sons of Perez:^(ao) Hezron and Hamul.^(ap)

The sons of Issachar:^(aq) Tola, Puah,^[a](ar) Jashub^[b](as) and Shimron.

The sons of Zebulun:^(at) Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,^[c](au) besides his daughter Dinah.^(av) These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

The sons of Gad:^(aw) Zephon,^[d](ax) Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

The sons of Asher:^(ay) Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel.

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

The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel:^(bb) Joseph and Benjamin.^(bc)

In Egypt, Manasseh^(bd) and Ephraim^(be) were born to Joseph^(bf) by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.^[e](bg)

The sons of Benjamin:^(bh) Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.^(bi)

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

The son of Dan:^(bk) Hushim.^(bl)

The sons of Naphtali:^(bm) Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

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

All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives—numbered sixty-six persons.^(bp)

With the two sons^[f] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt,^(bq) the members of Jacob's family, which went to Egypt, were seventy^[g] in all.^(br)