Through My Bible Year 03 – April 24

genesis 45

¹ Joseph could not control himself in front of all his servants, so he shouted, “Get everyone out of my sight!” When Joseph had no one left, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. ² He started crying loudly. The Egyptians listened to him, and news came to Pharaoh’s household. ³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”

His brothers could not answer him because they were frightened by his presence. ⁴ Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.”

They came closer. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ Now do not be sad or angry for selling me in this place, because God has sent me before you to save your lives. ⁶ There has been famine in the country for two years now, and there are five more years to go in which there will be neither plowing nor crops. ⁷ God has sent me before you to preserve you as a survivor on earth, and to keep you alive through a great work of salvation. ⁸ Therefore it was not you, but God, who sent me here, and He has made me father to Pharaoh, and lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹ Hurry up, go to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: ‘God has made me master of all Egypt. Come to me. Don’t delay. ¹⁰ You will live in the land of Goshen, where you, your children, your grandchildren, your sheep, your herds, and everything you own will be near me. ¹¹ I will take care of you here, because there are still five years of famine. Otherwise you, your family, and everything you own will perish.” ¹² pay attention. It appears from your eyes and from the eyes of my brother Benjamin that the one who speaks to you is my mouth. ¹³ Tell my father about my prestigious position in Egypt and whatever you have seen. Hurry up and bring my father here.”

¹⁴ He put his arms around his brother Benjamin and cried, and Benjamin cried with his head on his shoulder. ¹⁵ He kissed all his brothers and cried for them. After this his brothers talked to him.

¹⁶ The news was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” This pleased Pharaoh and his officials.

¹⁷ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Load your animals and go quickly to the land of Canaan. ¹⁸ Return to me, take your father and your household, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the best of the land. ¹⁹ Now I command you to do this: take the carts ⁽¹⁾ Bring your children and your wives out of the land of Egypt, and bring your father here. ²⁰ And don’t worry about your property either, because the best in all the land of Egypt is yours.

²¹ The sons of Israel did the same. As per Pharaoh’s orders, Joseph gave them carts and also provided them with luggage for the journey. ²² He gave each of them a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. ²³ He sent the following things to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt, and ten donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father on the journey. ²⁴ So he sent his brothers away, and they went away. He said to them, “Take care that you do not quarrel on the way.”

²⁵ They left Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. ²⁶ They said to him, Joseph is still alive, and he rules over all the land of Egypt. He was stunned ⁽²⁾ Because he did not believe them. ²⁷ They told Jacob all the words that Joseph had told them. When he saw the carts that Joseph had sent to take him, his father Jacob’s spirit came to life.

²⁸ Israel said, “That’s enough. My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”