Genesis 45:1-28
Joseph Tells His Brothers Who He Is
Joseph couldn’t control himself anymore in front of all his attendants. He cried out, “Have everyone leave me!” So there wasn’t anyone with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was. He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. Everyone in Pharaoh’s house heard about it.
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers weren’t able to answer him. They were too afraid of him.
Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” So they did. Then he said, “I am your brother Joseph. I’m the one you sold into Egypt. But don’t be upset. And don’t be angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me ahead of you to save many lives. For two years now, there hasn’t been enough food in the land. And for the next five years, people won’t be plowing or gathering crops. But God sent me ahead of you to keep some of you alive on earth. He sent me here to save your lives by an act of mighty power.
“So then, it wasn’t you who sent me here. It was God. He made me like a father to Pharaoh. He made me master of Pharaoh’s entire house. God made me ruler of the whole land of Egypt. Now hurry back to my father. Say to him, ‘Your son Joseph says, “God has made me master of the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t waste any time. You will live in the area of Goshen. You, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you have will be near me. There I will provide everything you need. There are still five years to come when there won’t be enough food. If you don’t come down here, you and your family and everyone who belongs to you will lose everything.” ’
“My brothers, I am Joseph. You can see for yourselves that I am the one speaking to you. My brother Benjamin can see it too. Tell my father about all the honor given to me in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept. Benjamin also hugged him and wept. Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After that, his brothers talked with him.
The news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come. Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Here’s what I want you to tell your brothers. Say to them, ‘Load your animals. Return to the land of Canaan. Bring your father and your families back to me. I’ll give you the best land in Egypt. You can enjoy all the good things in the land.’
“And here’s something else I want you to tell them. Say to them, ‘Take some carts from Egypt. Your children and your wives can use them. Get your father and come back. Don’t worry about the things you have back there. The best of everything in Egypt will belong to you.’ ”
Then the sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded. He also gave them supplies for their journey. He gave new clothes to each of them. But he gave Benjamin more than seven pounds of silver. He also gave him five sets of clothes. He sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt. He also sent ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies for his journey. Then Joseph sent his brothers away. As they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t argue on the way!”
So they went up out of Egypt. They came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of the whole land of Egypt.” Jacob was shocked. He didn’t believe them. So they told him everything Joseph had said to them. Jacob saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back. That gave new life to their father Jacob. Israel said, “I believe it now! My son Joseph is still alive. I’ll go and see him before I die.”
Genesis 46:1-34
Jacob Goes Down to Egypt
So Israel started out with everything that belonged to him. When he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
God spoke to Israel in a vision at night. “Jacob! Jacob!” he said.
“Here I am,” Jacob replied.
“I am God. I am the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt. There I will make you into a great nation. I will go down to Egypt with you. I will surely bring you back again. And when you die, Joseph will close your eyes with his own hand.”
Then Jacob left Beersheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob and their families in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. So Jacob and his whole family went to Egypt. They took their livestock with them. And they took everything they had acquired in Canaan. Jacob brought his sons and grandsons with him to Egypt. He also brought his daughters and granddaughters. He brought his whole family with him.
Here are the names of Israel’s children and grandchildren who went to Egypt. Jacob and his whole family are included.
Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son.
The sons of Reuben were
Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.
The sons of Simeon were
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul. Shaul was the son of a woman from Canaan.
The sons of Levi were
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
The sons of Judah were
Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah. But Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.
The sons of Perez were
Hezron and Hamul.
The sons of Issachar were
Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.
The sons of Zebulun were
Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Leah in Paddan Aram. Leah also had a daughter by Jacob. Her name was Dinah. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Leah was 33.
The sons of Gad were
Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
The sons of Asher were
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.
The sons of Beriah were
Heber and Malkiel.
These were the children and grandchildren born to Jacob and Zilpah. Laban had given Zilpah to his daughter Leah. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Zilpah was 16.
The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were
Joseph and Benjamin.
In Egypt, Asenath had Manasseh and Ephraim by Joseph. Asenath was the daughter of Potiphera. Potiphera was the priest of On.
The sons of Benjamin were
Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Rachel. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Rachel was 14.
The son of Dan was
Hushim.
The sons of Naphtali were
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Bilhah. Laban had given Bilhah to his daughter Rachel. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Bilhah was seven.
The total number of people who went to Egypt with Jacob was 66. That number includes only his own children and grandchildren. It doesn’t include his sons’ wives or his grandsons’ wives. The total number of the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt was 70. That includes the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt.
Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph. He sent him to get directions to Goshen. And so they arrived in the area of Goshen. Then Joseph had his servants get his chariot ready. He went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as he came to his father, Joseph threw his arms around him. Then Joseph wept for a long time.
Israel said to Joseph, “I have seen for myself that you are still alive. Now I’m ready to die.”
Then Joseph spoke to his brothers and to the rest of his father’s family. He said, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh. I’ll say to him, ‘My brothers and the rest of my father’s family have come to me. They were living in the land of Canaan. The men are shepherds. They take care of livestock. They’ve brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ Pharaoh will send for you. He’ll ask, ‘What do you do for a living?’ You should answer, ‘We’ve taken care of livestock from the time we were boys. We’ve done just as our fathers did.’ It’s the practice of the people of Egypt not to mix with shepherds. So Pharaoh will let you settle in the area of Goshen.”
Genesis 47:1-12
Joseph went to Pharaoh. He told him, “My father and brothers have come from the land of Canaan. They’ve brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own. They are now in Goshen.” Joseph had chosen five of his brothers to meet with Pharaoh.
Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What do you do for a living?”
“We’re shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh. “And that’s what our fathers were.” They also said to him, “We’ve come to live in Egypt for a while. There isn’t enough food anywhere in Canaan. There isn’t any grass for our flocks. So please let us live in Goshen.”
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is open to you. Let your father and brothers live in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. Do any of them have special skills? If they do, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in to meet Pharaoh. Jacob gave Pharaoh his blessing. Then Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my journey through life are 130. My years have been few and hard. They aren’t as many as the years of my father and grandfather before me.” Jacob gave Pharaoh his blessing. Then he left him.
So Joseph helped his father and his brothers make their homes in Egypt. He gave them property in the best part of the land, just as Pharaoh had directed him to do. That part was known as the territory of Rameses. Joseph also provided food for his father and brothers. He provided for them and the rest of his father’s family. He gave them enough for all their children.
