International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
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. | 1Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. |
2He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, including Pharaoh's household. | 2Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace. |
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. | 3“I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. |
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. | 4“Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. |
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. | 5But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. |
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. | 6This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. |
7God sent me ahead of you to keep you alive on the earth, and to save you all in a magnificent way. | 7God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. |
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. | 8So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. |
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!' | 9“Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! |
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. | 10You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. |
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. | 11I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’” |
12"Look, now! All of you can see me! And my own brother Benjamin can tell that it's really me speaking to you! | 12Then Joseph added, “Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! |
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!" | 13Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen, and then bring my father here quickly.” |
14Then he threw his arms around Benjamin and wept as they embraced. | 14Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same. |
15He kissed all of his brothers and wept with them, too, and then his brothers were able to talk with him. | 15Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him. Pharaoh Invites Jacob to Egypt |
16As soon as the news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had arrived, Pharaoh and his servants were ecstatic. | 16The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this. |
17Pharaoh told Joseph, "Be sure to tell your brothers, 'Do this: load up your livestock, go back to the land of Canaan, | 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. |
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.' | 18Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.’” |
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! | 19Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here. |
20Don't worry about your household goods, because the best of all the land of Egypt is yours." | 20Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’” |
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. | 21So the sons of Jacob did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey. |
22He gave each of them some changes of clothes, but he also gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver and five changes of clothes. | 22And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces of silver. |
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. | 23He also sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need on his journey. |
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!" | 24So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, “Don’t quarrel about all this along the way!” |
25So Joseph's brothers left Egypt and returned to the land of Canaan and to their father Jacob, | 25And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan. |
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. | 26“Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it. |
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. | 27But when they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits revived. |
28"It's enough," Israel replied. "My son Joseph is still alive. I'm going to go see him before I die!" | 28Then Jacob exclaimed, “It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die.” |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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