Joseph Reveals His Identity 1 UST { When Joseph heard that,} he could no{ longer} keep himself from crying in front of all his servants, so he shouted{ to them},“All of you leave my presence!”{ Immediately the servants left the room,} so that no one else was with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was. BSB BSB: Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.
2 UST But he started crying so loudly that{ many} Egyptians heard{ him}, including Pharaoh’ s family. BSB BSB: But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household soon heard of it.
3 UST Then he exclaimed to his brothers{ in their language},“I{ am}{ your brother} Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But Joseph’ s brothers could not reply to him, because they felt very afraid to be standing in front of him. BSB BSB: Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence.
4 UST So Joseph said to them,“Please come here next to me.” After they went closer{ to him}, he said{ to them},“I{ really am} your brother Joseph, whom you sold{ to be a slave} in{ the country of} Egypt. BSB BSB: Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt!
5 UST But now, do not be upset or angry with yourselves for selling me, because{ it was actually} God{ who} sent me{ here} before you came, to save{ many people’ s} lives. BSB BSB: And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.
6 UST For two years{ now}{ there has been} a famine throughout this region, and for another five years{ it will be so severe that} no one will{ be able to} plant{ seeds} or harvest{ crops}. BSB BSB: For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
7 UST That is why God sent me{ here} before you came, to save your lives in this amazing way so that you will survive and have descendants on the earth. BSB BSB: God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 UST So then, you{ were} not{ the ones}{ who} caused me to come here, but{ rather}{ it was} God{ who sent me}. He has{ also} made me{ like a} father to{ King} Pharaoh, so that I am the one in charge of his entire household and{ also} the governor over the entire country of Egypt. BSB BSB: Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Joseph Sends for His Father 9 UST Hurry back to our father and tell him that his son Joseph has sent him this message:‘God has appointed me governor over the entire{ country of} Egypt.{ So}{ please} come down{ here}{ to live} near me,{ and} do not delay. BSB BSB: Now return quickly 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 without delay.
10 UST You can live in Goshen Province. That way you will live close to me with your children and your grandchildren, along with your flocks{ of sheep and goats}, your herds{ of cattle} and everything{ else} that you own. BSB BSB: You shall settle in the land of Goshen and be near me—you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own.
11 UST I will take care of you there, since the famine will last five{ more} years.{ Please come} so that{ the famine} will not cause you and your family to lose everything you own{ and die}.’” BSB BSB: And there I will provide for you, because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you and your household and everything you own will come to destitution.’
12 UST { Then Joseph said to his brothers,}“Look!{ All of} you, including my brother Benjamin,{ can} see that{ it really is} me,{ Joseph,} who is talking to you. BSB BSB: Behold! You and my brother Benjamin can see that I, Joseph, am the one speaking with you.
13 UST So{ go and} tell our father all{ about} how powerful I am in Egypt and{ about} everything{ else} that you have seen{ here}. Then quickly bring him down here{ to me}.” BSB BSB: Tell my father about all my splendor in Egypt and everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
14 UST Then Joseph hugged his brother Benjamin{ tightly} and cried{ for joy}, and Benjamin{ also} cried as he hugged Joseph. BSB BSB: Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced.
15 UST Then Joseph kissed all his brothers{ on their cheeks} as he continued to cry{ for joy}. After{ he did} that, his brothers started talking with him. BSB BSB: Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.
Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt 16 UST When Pharaoh’ s household heard the news that Joseph’ s brothers had come{ there}, Pharaoh and{ all} his servants were happy. BSB BSB: When the news reached Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.
17 UST So Pharaoh told Joseph,“Give your brothers this message{ from me}:‘Load your donkeys{ with grain} and go quickly{ back} to Canaan. BSB BSB: Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do as follows: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan.
18 UST Then bring your father and your families{ back}{ here} to me. I will give you the best{ area} in the country of Egypt{ to live in}, so that you will live well with the best of everything in the country.’” BSB BSB: 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.’
19 UST { Then Pharaoh said to Joseph,}“I also want you{ to tell them} to take{ some of}{ my} wagons with them from the country of Egypt for their wives and{ young} children{ to travel in}. Then{ tell them} to bring their father{ back}{ here to live}. BSB BSB: You are also directed to tell them: ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives, and bring your father and come back.
20 UST They should not worry about{ leaving some of} their belongings{ behind}, because the best{ things} in all the country of Egypt{ will be} theirs.” BSB BSB: But pay no regard to your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
21 UST So Israel’ s sons{ agreed to} do that. Then Joseph gave them wagons{ to use} as{ King} Pharaoh had commanded, and he supplied them with food to eat as they traveled{ home}. BSB BSB: So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.
22 UST He{ also} gave a{ new} set of clothes to each one of his brothers, but to Benjamin he gave five{ new} sets of clothes and 300{ pieces} of silver{ money}. BSB BSB: He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
23 UST He also gave{ them} the following gifts to give to his father: ten male donkeys that were carrying{ some of} the best{ things} from Egypt, and ten female donkeys that were carrying grain, bread, and{ other} food for him{ and his family} to eat as they traveled{ to Egypt}. BSB BSB: And he sent to his father the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father’s journey.
24 UST Then Joseph sent his brothers off{ on their way home}. As they were leaving, he told them,“Do not argue{ with each other} on the way.” BSB BSB: Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way!”
The Revival of Jacob 25 UST Then Joseph’ s brothers left Egypt and traveled{ home} to their father Jacob in the region of Canaan. BSB BSB: So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.
26 UST { When they arrived,} they announced to him,“Joseph{ is} still alive! In fact, he{ is} the governor over the entire country of Egypt!”{ When their father heard that news,} he was stunned{ and silent}, because he could not believe them. BSB BSB: “Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.
27 UST But{ after} they told him everything that Joseph had said to them, and{ after} he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him{ and his family}{ to Egypt}, he recovered{ from the shock}. BSB BSB: However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.
28 UST Then he exclaimed{ to them},“{ That’ s} enough!{ It must be true!} My son Joseph really is alive! I must go{ now} and see him{ again} before I die.” BSB BSB: “Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”