The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 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.(a)

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.(b)

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.(c)

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.(d)

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.

Joseph Sends for His Father

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:

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:

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.

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

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.

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

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

Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

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

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

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.

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.

Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.(f)

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.(g)

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.

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.(h)

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

The Revival of Jacob

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

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.(i)

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:

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

Footnotes

(a)45:2 wept…: Heb. gave forth his voice in weeping

(b)45:3 troubled: or, terrified

(d)45:7 to preserve…: Heb. to put for you a remnant

(e)45:16 pleased…: Heb. was good in the eyes of Pharaoh

(f)45:20 regard…: Heb. let not your eye spare, etc.

(g)45:21 commandment: Heb. mouth

(h)45:23 laden…: Heb. carrying

(i)45:26 Jacob’s: Heb. his

Then Joseph couldn’t control himself before all those who stood before him, and he called out, “Cause everyone to go out from me!” No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

He wept aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Does my father still live?” His brothers couldn’t answer him; for they were terrified at his presence.

Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” They came near. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be no plowing and no harvest.

God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.

So now it wasn’t you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Joseph Sends for His Father

Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t wait.

You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children’s children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.

There I will provide for you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have.”’

Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. You shall hurry and bring my father down here.”

He fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.

He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.

Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt

The report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” It pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan.

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.’

Now you are commanded to do this: Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

Also, don’t concern yourselves about your belongings, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.”

The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.

He sent the following to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father by the way.

So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.”

The Revival of Jacob

They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.

They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” His heart fainted, for he didn’t believe them.

They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived.

Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”