Genesis 45

King James Version

Full text for Genesis Chapter 45

1¶ Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

2And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

3And Joseph said unto his brethren, I [am] Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

4And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I [am] Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

5Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

6For these two years [hath] the famine [been] in the land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor harvest.

7And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8So now [it was] not you [that] sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

9Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:

10And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:

11And there will I nourish thee; for yet [there are] five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

12And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth that speaketh unto you.

13And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

14And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

16¶ And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

17And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

18And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

19Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

20Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt [is] yours.

21And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

22To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver, and five changes of raiment.

23And to his father he sent after this [manner]; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

24So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

25¶ And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

26And told him, saying, Joseph [is] yet alive, and he [is] governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

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

28And Israel said, [It is] enough; Joseph my son [is] yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Joseph, unable to contain his emotions, reveals his true identity to his brothers, weeping aloud. He reassures them, explaining that God sent him to Egypt to preserve their lives during the famine. Joseph then instructs them to bring their father Jacob and their entire households to Goshen, where he will provide for them. Jacob, upon hearing the news and seeing the provisions, is revived and resolves to see his son.

Medium Summary

Overcome with emotion, Joseph sends all his attendants away and reveals himself to his astonished brothers, weeping so loudly that the Egyptians hear. He identifies himself as Joseph, their brother whom they sold into Egypt, but immediately reassures them not to be grieved or angry with themselves. Joseph explains that God sent him ahead to preserve life and a posterity for them through a great deliverance from the ongoing famine. He instructs them to hasten back to Canaan and bring their father Jacob and all their households to dwell in Goshen, where he will nourish them for the remaining five years of famine. Pharaoh, hearing of Joseph's brethren, approves of the plan and offers the best of the land of Egypt, providing wagons for their journey. Joseph gives his brothers gifts and provisions for their return trip, warning them not to quarrel by the way. Upon reaching Canaan, the brothers inform Jacob that Joseph is alive and ruler of Egypt, which initially causes Jacob's heart to faint. However, seeing the wagons and hearing Joseph's words, Jacob's spirit revives, and he resolves to go and see his son before he dies.

Long Summary

In a moment of profound emotion, Joseph could no longer restrain himself before his attendants, commanding everyone to leave. Alone with his brothers, he revealed his identity, weeping aloud so that his cries were heard throughout Pharaoh's house. His brothers were troubled and unable to answer him, but Joseph urged them to draw near, confirming, "I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt." Immediately, he sought to alleviate their guilt, instructing them not to be grieved or angry with themselves. He explained that it was God's providential hand that sent him ahead to preserve life and ensure a posterity for them during the severe famine, which had already lasted two years with five more predicted. Joseph emphasized that God had made him a "father to Pharaoh" and ruler over all Egypt, not their actions. He then urged his brothers to quickly return to their father Jacob and inform him of Joseph's glory and position. Joseph instructed them to bring Jacob and their entire households, including children, flocks, and herds, to the land of Goshen, where he promised to nourish them through the remaining years of famine. He embraced Benjamin and all his brothers, weeping with them, after which they were able to converse. The news reached Pharaoh's house, pleasing both Pharaoh and his servants. Pharaoh commanded Joseph to tell his brothers to bring their father and households to Egypt, promising them the "good of the land" and providing wagons for transport, assuring them not to worry about their possessions. The children of Israel complied, and Joseph provided wagons, provisions for the journey, and changes of raiment for each brother, with Benjamin receiving additional silver and garments. As they departed, Joseph cautioned them, "See that ye fall not out by the way." Upon their return to Canaan, they informed Jacob that Joseph was alive and governor of Egypt, a revelation that initially caused Jacob's heart to faint in disbelief. However, seeing the wagons sent by Joseph and hearing his words, Jacob's spirit was revived, and he declared, "It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die."

Core Concepts

  • Joseph's RevelationJoseph, overcome with emotion, reveals his true identity to his brothers, weeping aloud and causing them great distress and silence. This moment marks a turning point in the narrative, moving from testing to reconciliation.
  • Divine ProvidenceJoseph reassures his brothers that their act of selling him into Egypt was part of God's larger plan to preserve life and a posterity for their family during the severe famine. This highlights God's sovereignty over human actions.
  • Family Reunion and ForgivenessDespite their past betrayal, Joseph embraces and forgives his brothers, inviting them to bring their entire household to Egypt. This demonstrates a profound act of reconciliation and the restoration of family bonds.
  • Pharaoh's GenerosityPharaoh, upon hearing of Joseph's family, extends an invitation for Jacob's entire household to settle in Egypt, promising them the best of the land and providing wagons for their journey. This illustrates the high esteem in which Joseph was held.
  • Jacob's RevivalJacob initially disbelieves the news of Joseph's survival, his heart fainting. However, upon seeing the wagons and hearing Joseph's words, his spirit is revived, leading to his resolve to journey to Egypt.
  • The Famine's ImpactThe ongoing famine is a critical backdrop, serving as the immediate reason for the brothers' repeated journeys to Egypt and Joseph's position of power. It underscores the necessity of Joseph's role in preserving life.
  • Goshen as a SanctuaryJoseph designates the land of Goshen as the dwelling place for his family, promising to nourish them there for the remaining years of famine. This establishes a specific, fertile region for the nascent Israelite nation within Egypt.