English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

1At this point, Joseph could not control his emotions any longer, so he cried out to everyone who was standing nearby, "Everybody! Leave me!" As a result, none of his staff was anywhere near him when he revealed himself to his brothers.

2And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it.

2He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, including Pharaoh's household.

3And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

3Joseph blurted out, "I'm Joseph! Is my father really alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, because they had become terrified to be in his presence.

4So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

4Joseph implored his brothers, "Please come close to me." So they did. "I'm your brother Joseph, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt!" he told them.

5And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

5"But don't be distressed or angry at yourselves because you sold me here, because God sent me ahead of you all in order to deliver us.

6For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

6That's because this famine has been going on for two years now in this region, and there are still five years left, during which there won't be any plowing or harvesting.

7And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.

7God sent me ahead of you to keep you alive on the earth, and to save you all in a magnificent way.

8So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

8As a result, it wasn't you who sent me here, but God himself! He established me as a father-figure to Pharaoh himself! I'm in charge of his entire palace and ruler over the entire land of Egypt.

9Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry.

9So hurry up, go back to my father, and tell him that his son Joseph tells him, 'God has made me master of all of Egypt. Hurry up! Come live with me!'

10You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.

10You are to live in the land of Goshen, near where I am—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything that you own.

11There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’

11I'll provide for you there, since there are still five years of famine left to go, and you, your households, and everything you own would have otherwise become impoverished.

12And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

12"Look, now! All of you can see me! And my own brother Benjamin can tell that it's really me speaking to you!

13You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.”

13So go tell my father about all of my splendor in Egypt. Tell him about everything that you've seen. Be quick about it, and bring my father down here!"

14Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

14Then he threw his arms around Benjamin and wept as they embraced.

15And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.

15He kissed all of his brothers and wept with them, too, and then his brothers were able to talk with him.

16When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.

16As soon as the news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had arrived, Pharaoh and his servants were ecstatic.

17And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan,

17Pharaoh told Joseph, "Be sure to tell your brothers, 'Do this: load up your livestock, go back to the land of Canaan,

18and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’

18get your father and your households, and come back to me. I'll give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can live off the abundance of the land.'

19And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

19In addition," Pharaoh ordered, "Do this: take some transport wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones to ride in, along with your wives, and bring your father and come!

20Have no concern for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

20Don't worry about your household goods, because the best of all the land of Egypt is yours."

21The sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.

21So Israel's sons did what they were asked to do, and Joseph provided wagons for them, as Pharaoh had commanded. He also gave them provisions for the journey.

22To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five changes of clothes.

22He gave each of them some changes of clothes, but he also gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver and five changes of clothes.

23To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey.

23He sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the best of Egyptian goods and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provisions for his father during the journey.

24Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.”

24Then Joseph sent his brothers away, and they left for home. As they were leaving, Joseph admonished them, "Don't quarrel on the way back!"

25So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.

25So Joseph's brothers left Egypt and returned to the land of Canaan and to their father Jacob,

26And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them.

26where they informed their father, "Joseph is still alive! As a matter of fact, he's ruling the entire land of Egypt." But Jacob didn't believe them, because he had become cynical.

27But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

27However, as soon as his sons had told him everything Joseph had said, and after he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent along to carry him, their father Jacob's spirit was encouraged.

28And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

28"It's enough," Israel replied. "My son Joseph is still alive. I'm going to go see him before I die!"

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