Joseph Tells His Brothers Who He Is
1Joseph 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. 2He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. Everyone in Pharaoh’s house heard about it.
3Joseph 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.
4Joseph 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. 5But 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. 6For 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. 7But 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.
8“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. 9Now 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. 10You will live in the area of Goshen. You, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you have will be near me. 11There 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.” ’
12“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. 13Tell 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.”
14Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept. Benjamin also hugged him and wept. 15Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After that, his brothers talked with him.
16The news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come. Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. 17Pharaoh 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. 18Bring 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.’
19“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. 20Don’t worry about the things you have back there. The best of everything in Egypt will belong to you.’ ”
21Then the sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded. He also gave them supplies for their journey. 22He 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. 23He 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. 24Then Joseph sent his brothers away. As they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t argue on the way!”
25So they went up out of Egypt. They came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26They 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. 27So 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. 28Israel said, “I believe it now! My son Joseph is still alive. I’ll go and see him before I die.”
Josef giver sig til kende for sine brødre
1Da kunne Josef ikke længere beherske sig. „Ud, alle sammen!” beordrede han sine tjenere, for han ville være alene med brødrene. 2Så brast han i gråd. Han hulkede så højt, at alle i huset hørte det—ja, rygtet om hans gråd nåede helt til Faraos palads.
3„Jeg er Josef!” sagde han. „Er min far stadig i live?” Hans brødre var lamslåede og kunne ikke få et ord frem.
4„Kom herhen,” sagde han. De trådte nærmere, og han sagde igen: „Jeg er Josef, jeres bror, som I solgte til Egypten. 5Men I må ikke bebrejde jer selv på grund af det, I gjorde, for Gud var med i det! Han sendte mig hertil i forvejen, for at I kunne blive reddet. 6Hungersnøden har nu hærget i to år, og den vil hærge fem år endnu. I al den tid vil der hverken blive pløjet eller sået. 7Derfor sendte Gud mig hertil, så at I og jeres familier kan overleve og blive til et stort folk. 8Ja, det var Gud, som sendte mig hertil—ikke jer. Og han har gjort mig til Faraos rådgiver, ansvarlig for hans ejendom og hersker over hele Egypten.
9Skynd jer nu tilbage til min far og fortæl ham, at Gud har gjort hans søn Josef til hersker over Egypten. Sig til ham, at han skal komme med det samme 10og slå sig ned i Goshens land, så han kan bo i nærheden af mig med alle sine børn og børnebørn, sine fåre- og kvægflokke og alt, hvad han ejer. 11Så kan jeg hjælpe jer, for der er stadig fem år, til hungersnøden er slut. Ellers vil I alle ende i den yderste fattigdom.”
12Josef fortsatte: „I kan selv se, at jeg er Josef—også Benjamin kan bekræfte det. 13Fortæl min far, at det er gået mig godt i Egypten. Fortæl om den magt, jeg har, og om alt, hvad I har set og hørt her—og skynd jer så at bringe ham herhen.”
14Da omfavnede Josef sin bror Benjamin, og med hinanden om halsen græd de to brødre. 15Derefter omfavnede han grædende hver enkelt af sine brødre, og først da fik de mælet igen. 16Nyheden om Josefs brødre nåede også Farao og hans hof, og alle glædede sig over det bevægede gensyn.
17Farao sagde da til Josef: „Sig til dine brødre, at de skal læsse deres æsler og skynde sig hjem til Kana’an 18og hente deres far og øvrige familie. De kan roligt komme herned og bo. Giv dem denne besked fra mig: Farao vil overdrage jer den bedste jord, der er i Egypten. I skal leve af landets overflod. 19Og sig til dine brødre, at de må tage vogne med sig fra Egypten, så deres koner og børn og deres far kan blive kørt hertil. 20Sig også til dem, at de ikke skal bekymre sig om de ting, de må lade tilbage, for det bedste af det bedste her i Egypten skal være deres.”
21Så gav Josef dem vogne og rejseproviant, sådan som Farao havde befalet, og brødrene gjorde, som der blev sagt. 22Josef gav alle sine brødre smukke dragter, og Benjamin gav han fem dragter og tre hundrede sølvstykker. 23Til sin far læssede han ti æsler med alle mulige specialiteter fra Egypten—og endnu ti æsler med korn og andre livsfornødenheder, som skulle være proviant på hans rejse til Egypten. 24Så tog han afsked med sine brødre: „Lad nu være med at skændes på vejen,” var hans sidste ord til dem, 25hvorefter de tog af sted og kom hjem til deres far i Kana’an.
26„Josef er i live!” fortalte de i munden på hinanden. „Og han regerer over hele Egypten!” Men Jakob var skeptisk. Han kunne simpelthen ikke tro det. 27Så fortalte de ham alt, hvad Josef havde sagt, og da Jakob så vognene, som Josef havde sendt for at hente ham, livede han op 28og sagde: „Det må jo være sandt, at min søn Josef lever! Jeg må af sted og se ham, før jeg dør.”
