Genesis 45

1Joseph could no longer stop himself from crying. Joseph told all the other people to go away, and only Joseph's brothers stayed with Joseph. Then Joseph told his brothers who Joseph was.

2Joseph cried so loudly that the Egyptian people heard him in Pharaoh's house.

3Joseph said to his brothers: I am your brother Joseph. Is Father still alive? But Joseph's brothers did not answer Joseph because they were afraid.

4And Joseph said to his brothers: Come here to me. I beg you, come here, and Joseph told the brothers: I am Joseph your brother. You sold me to merchants, and they brought me here to Egypt.

5Now do not feel bad. Don't be angry with yourselves for what you did. It was God's plan for me to come here. I am here to save people's lives.

6It is now the 2nd year that there has been a famine in the land. There will be a famine for another 5 years. There will be five more years without planting or harvest.

7So God sent me here ahead of you so that I can save your people in this country. God sent me so that I can save a lot of people.

8It was not you who sent me to Egypt. It was God. God chose me to tell Pharaoh what Pharaoh must do. I, Joseph, am also the chief of Pharaoh's house and the ruler of all the people in Egypt.

9Go to Father immediately and tell him his son Joseph says: God has made me ruler over all of Egypt. Father, you must come to me. Do not wait.

10You can stay in Goshen and be near me, you and your children and your grandchildren, your sheep, goats and cattle, and everything that belongs to you.

11I will take care of you during the next five years of famine. So, you and your family will not lose everything you own.

12Joseph said to his brothers: ‘You and Benjamin can see that it is I, Joseph, speaking to you.

13Go and tell Father that I am an important man in Egypt. Tell him everything that you see here and hurry up. Bring Father to me.

14Joseph put his arms around his brother Benjamin's neck, and Joseph cried. Benjamin hugged Joseph, and Benjamin also cried.

15Joseph kissed all his brothers, and Joseph stood with the brothers, and they all cried. After that, his brothers talked with Joseph.

16Pharaoh learned that Joseph's brothers had come to Joseph. This news spread throughout Pharaoh's house. The news pleased Pharaoh and Pharaoh's servants.

17Pharaoh said to Joseph: ‘Tell your brothers to put on their donkeys all the food they need and go back to the land of Canaan.

18Tell Joseph's brothers to bring Joseph's father and their families back here to me. I will give you the best land in Egypt to live on. And your family can eat the best food we have here

19Joseph's brothers must take wagons from Egypt for their children and wives. Your father must also ride on a wagon and come here.

20They must not be sad about the things that they will leave in Canaan because they will get the best things here in Egypt.

21Jacob's sons did what Pharaoh said. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh said and also food for their journey

22Joseph gave each brother a suit of beautiful clothes. But to Benjamin he gave five suits of beautiful clothes and 300 pieces of silver

23Joseph also sent gifts to his father. Joseph sent ten donkeys with bags full of many good things from Egypt. Joseph also sent ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for his father on his trip back.

24Joseph sent his brothers back to Canaan and Joseph told his brothers: ‘Do not argue or fight on your way back

25They went from Egypt, and they came to their father Jacob in Canaan.

26Joseph's brothers told their father that Joseph was still alive and that Joseph was the ruler over all of Egypt. Jacob did not know what to think. At first Jacob didn't believe the brothers.

27Jacob's sons told their father everything that Joseph had said. When Jacob saw the wagons that Joseph had sent him to ride on, he became very happy

28And Jacob said: I am so happy. My son Joseph is still alive. I want to go and see him before I die.