Study Desk

Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants,^[a] so he called out, "Send everyone away from me!" No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers.^(a)

But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh's household heard it.

Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please, come near me," and they came near. "I am Joseph, your brother," he said, "the one you sold into Egypt.^(b)

And now don't be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.^(c)

For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.

God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.^[b]

Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

"Return quickly to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: "God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay.

You can settle in the land of Goshen^(d) and be near me—you, your children, and grandchildren, your sheep, cattle, and all you have.

There I will sustain you, for there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you, your household, and everything you have will become destitute."'^(e)

Look! Your eyes and my brother Benjamin's eyes can see that it is I , Joseph, who am^[c] speaking to you.

Tell my father about all my glory in Egypt and about all you have seen. And bring my father here quickly."^(f)

Then Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder.

Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept,^[d] and afterward his brothers talked with him.

When the news reached Pharaoh's palace, "Joseph's brothers have come," Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.

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

Get your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you can eat from the richness of the land.'

You are also commanded, ‘Do this: Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives and bring your father here.^(g)

Do not be concerned about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"^(h)

The sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them provisions for the journey.

He gave each of the brothers changes of clothes,⁽ⁱ⁾ but he gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver and five changes of clothes.^(j)

He sent his father the following: 10 donkeys carrying the best products of Egypt and 10 female donkeys carrying grain, food, and provisions for his father on the journey.

So Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, "Don't argue on the way."

So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.

They said, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!" Jacob was stunned,^[e] for he did not believe them.

But when they told Jacob all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

Then Israel said, "Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go to see him before I die."

Israel set out with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba,^(a) and he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

That night God spoke to Israel in a vision:^(b) "Jacob, Jacob!" He said. And Jacob replied, "Here I am."

God said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.^(c)

I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back.^(d) Joseph will put his hands on your eyes."^[a](e)

Jacob left Beer-sheba. The sons of Israel took their father Jacob in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him,^(f) along with their children and their wives.

They also took their cattle and possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Then Jacob and all his children went with him to Egypt.^(g)

His sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters, indeed all his offspring, he brought with him to Egypt.

These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt:^(h) Jacob's firstborn: Reuben.

Reuben's sons:⁽ⁱ⁾ Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

Simeon's sons:^(j) Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.

Levi's sons:^(k) Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Judah's sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. Perez's sons:^(l) Hezron and Hamul.

Issachar's sons:^(m) Tola, Puvah,^[b] Jashub,^[c] and Shimron.

Zebulun's sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

These were Leah's sons born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, as well as his daughter Dinah. The total number of persons:^[d] 33.

Gad's sons: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

Asher's sons:⁽ⁿ⁾ Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah's sons were Heber and Malchiel.

These were the sons of Zilpah—whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah—that she bore to Jacob: 16 persons.

The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. They were born to him by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, a priest at On.^[e]

Benjamin's sons:^(o) Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

These were Rachel's sons who were born to Jacob: 14 persons.

Dan's son:^[f] Hushim.

Naphtali's sons:^(p) Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel.^(q) She bore to Jacob: seven persons.

The total number of persons belonging to Jacob—his direct descendants,^[g] not including the wives of Jacob's sons—who came to Egypt: 66.

And Joseph's sons who were born to him in Egypt: two persons. All those of Jacob's household who had come to Egypt: 70^[h] persons.^(r)