New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Genesis 45
1
Joseph couldn't control himself anymore in front of all of his attendants. He cried out, "Have everyone leave me!" So there wasn't anyone with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 18:15
2
He sobbed so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. Everyone in Pharaoh's house heard about it.
3
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.
Reference
4
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.
Reference
References Egypt
Genesis 37:28
5
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 1:21
Luke 23:34
Genesis 47:25
2 Corinthians 2:11
2 Corinthians 2:7
1 Samuel 1:19
2 Samuel 12:12
2 Samuel 17:14
References God
Genesis 50:20
6
"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.
Reference
7
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.
Reference
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 whole house. He made me ruler of the whole land of Egypt.
Reference
9
"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.
Reference
References Egypt
Genesis 45:13
10
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.
Reference
📍 Goshen 1
11
There I will provide everything you need. " ' "Five years without enough food are still coming. If you don't come down here, you and your family and everyone who belongs to you will lose everything." '
Reference
12
"Brothers, you can see for yourselves that it's really I, Joseph, speaking to you. My brother Benjamin can see it too.
Reference
13
"Tell my father about all of the honor that has been given to me in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly."
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 7:14
14
Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and sobbed. Benjamin also hugged him and sobbed.
15
Joseph kissed all of his brothers and sobbed over them. After that, his brothers talked with him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 15:20
16
The news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come. Pharaoh and all of his officials were pleased.
17
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.
18
Bring your father and your families back to me. I'll give you the best land in Egypt. You can enjoy all of the good things in the land.'
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 27:28
Psalm 147:14
Numbers 18:29
Numbers 18:12
Isaiah 28:4
Isaiah 28:1
Psalm 81:16
Deuteronomy 32:14
References Egypt
Genesis 47:6
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.
Reference
20
Don't worry about the things you have back there. The best of everything in Egypt will belong to you.' "
Reference
Good
Isaiah 1:19
21
So the sons of Israel did it. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded. He also gave them supplies for their journey.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 45:19
22
He gave new clothes to each of them. But he gave more than seven pounds of silver to Benjamin. He also gave him five sets of clothes.
Reference
23
He sent his father ten 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.
24
Then Joseph sent his brothers away. As they were leaving he said to them, "Don't argue on the way!"
Reference
25
So they went up out of Egypt. They came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.
26
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.
Reference
27
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.
Reference
28
Israel said, "I believe it now! My son Joseph is still alive. I'll go and see him before I die."
Chapter Summary
Genesis chapter forty-five is the chapter of the stormy reunion of Joseph with his brothers, the ones who sold him into slavery.
The chapter begins with the continuation of Judah’s speech, which caused Joseph to lose self-control. He cries out, ordering everyone to leave his presence, and only with his attendants around him does he reveal himself to his brothers. But Joseph cries so loudly that the Egyptians heard him in the palace of the king.
Then, having composed himself, he began his speech, which was no less astonishing, revealing himself to his brothers: “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” The brothers were stunned; the text says that they were paralyzed before him. What are the thoughts running through their heads? This formidable personage who has had sole power over them until now is their brother, the one they sold for twenty pieces of silver and lied to say died of natural causes.
Joseph invites his brothers to come closer and repeats his speech: “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you made to live in Egypt.” But Joseph does not seek immediate revenge on his brothers for the suffering he endured for many years. Instead, he reassures them: “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves that you sold me here, for
God sent me before you to keep a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So, then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” Joseph saves them from the severest punishment, explaining that God had sent him to Egypt to prepare food for the famine that was coming. Two years have passed since the famine began, and five more years would pass with no harvest.
Then Joseph says to his brothers: “God sent me before you to establish you in the land and to save you by a great deliverance. So it is not you who sent me here, but God.” Then Joseph told them to take care of his father and bring him back to Egypt, for he would provide for them all that they needed. He offered them a place to live in Goshen, near him, and said that he would provide for them during the five years of famine, so that neither they nor their herds, flocks, nor sons, daughters, would suffer from hunger.
Then Joseph said to his brother Benjamin: “Come to me, my son,” and he threw himself at his neck and hugged him, crying over him, and Benjamin cried over Joseph. Then Joseph kissed all his brothers and cried over them and, after he had finished grieving, his brothers spoke with him.
Then the news of what happened reached the palace of Pharaoh, and Pharaoh commanded Joseph to lead his brothers to Goshen to bring them and their father to him. The king was delighted to hear the news about Joseph and his brothers. Pharaoh told Joseph to tell his brothers to bring their wagons and go to Canaan and bring their father and all their possessions to him. He promised them that he would give them the best in the land of Egypt, saying that they should not be concerned about anything except their journey.
So Joseph sent his brothers away with his wagons, as Pharaoh had ordered, and provided them with provisions for the road. He gave each of his brothers a change of clothes, and Benjamin got three hundred shekels of silver besides five changes of clothes. Joseph gave his father ten young donkeys bearing the best products of Egypt and ten young donkeys bearing food and provisions for the journey. He gave his brothers a parting gift telling them not to quarrel with each other on the road, as they had so often in the past.
The brothers went to their father in Canaan and told him of the good news. But Jacob was overcome with astonishment, and he could hardly believe that Joseph was still alive. However, when he heard the good news, he seemed to find strength even to bless his sons, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to bring him to Egypt, he said: “My sons, my father Israel said to them I am convinced that my son Joseph is still alive, and I will go with you to see him before my death.”
Thus, Genesis chapter forty-five, with its long narrative about the reunion of Joseph and his brothers, comes to an end. The brothers have made a choice, and Joseph has forgiven them, although he is keenly aware of all the pain they have caused him. The old man Jacob is on the verge of death, but the news of the survival of his son Joseph has given him a second lease of life.
The chapter begins with the continuation of Judah’s speech, which caused Joseph to lose self-control. He cries out, ordering everyone to leave his presence, and only with his attendants around him does he reveal himself to his brothers. But Joseph cries so loudly that the Egyptians heard him in the palace of the king.
Then, having composed himself, he began his speech, which was no less astonishing, revealing himself to his brothers: “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” The brothers were stunned; the text says that they were paralyzed before him. What are the thoughts running through their heads? This formidable personage who has had sole power over them until now is their brother, the one they sold for twenty pieces of silver and lied to say died of natural causes.
Joseph invites his brothers to come closer and repeats his speech: “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you made to live in Egypt.” But Joseph does not seek immediate revenge on his brothers for the suffering he endured for many years. Instead, he reassures them: “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves that you sold me here, for
God sent me before you to keep a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So, then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” Joseph saves them from the severest punishment, explaining that God had sent him to Egypt to prepare food for the famine that was coming. Two years have passed since the famine began, and five more years would pass with no harvest.
Then Joseph says to his brothers: “God sent me before you to establish you in the land and to save you by a great deliverance. So it is not you who sent me here, but God.” Then Joseph told them to take care of his father and bring him back to Egypt, for he would provide for them all that they needed. He offered them a place to live in Goshen, near him, and said that he would provide for them during the five years of famine, so that neither they nor their herds, flocks, nor sons, daughters, would suffer from hunger.
Then Joseph said to his brother Benjamin: “Come to me, my son,” and he threw himself at his neck and hugged him, crying over him, and Benjamin cried over Joseph. Then Joseph kissed all his brothers and cried over them and, after he had finished grieving, his brothers spoke with him.
Then the news of what happened reached the palace of Pharaoh, and Pharaoh commanded Joseph to lead his brothers to Goshen to bring them and their father to him. The king was delighted to hear the news about Joseph and his brothers. Pharaoh told Joseph to tell his brothers to bring their wagons and go to Canaan and bring their father and all their possessions to him. He promised them that he would give them the best in the land of Egypt, saying that they should not be concerned about anything except their journey.
So Joseph sent his brothers away with his wagons, as Pharaoh had ordered, and provided them with provisions for the road. He gave each of his brothers a change of clothes, and Benjamin got three hundred shekels of silver besides five changes of clothes. Joseph gave his father ten young donkeys bearing the best products of Egypt and ten young donkeys bearing food and provisions for the journey. He gave his brothers a parting gift telling them not to quarrel with each other on the road, as they had so often in the past.
The brothers went to their father in Canaan and told him of the good news. But Jacob was overcome with astonishment, and he could hardly believe that Joseph was still alive. However, when he heard the good news, he seemed to find strength even to bless his sons, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to bring him to Egypt, he said: “My sons, my father Israel said to them I am convinced that my son Joseph is still alive, and I will go with you to see him before my death.”
Thus, Genesis chapter forty-five, with its long narrative about the reunion of Joseph and his brothers, comes to an end. The brothers have made a choice, and Joseph has forgiven them, although he is keenly aware of all the pain they have caused him. The old man Jacob is on the verge of death, but the news of the survival of his son Joseph has given him a second lease of life.