Joseph Provides for His Brothers and Family

Genesis 45

1 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Make everyone go out from me!" So no one stood with him a while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he b wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. 3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, c "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.

4 And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, d whom you sold into Egypt. 5 "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; e for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 "For these two years the f famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 "And God g sent me before you to preserve a 1 posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 "So now it was not you who sent me here, but h God; and He has made me i a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a j ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 "Hurry 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 2 tarry. 10 k "You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children's children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 11 "There I will l provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine." ' 12 "And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is m my mouth that speaks to you. 13 "So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and n bring my father down here." 14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 Moreover he o kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.

16 Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, "Joseph's brothers have come." So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. 18 'Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat p the 3 fat of the land. 19 'Now you are commanded - do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. 20 'Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.' "

21 Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them q carts, 4 according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 He gave to all of them, to each man, r changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and s five changes of garments. 23 And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. 24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, "See that you do not become troubled along the way."

25 Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26 And they told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt." t And Jacob's heart stood still, because he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit u of Jacob their father revived. 28 Then Israel said, "It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

  1. Cross References
    Acts 7:13
    And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 43:30
    Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there.
    Genesis 46:29
    So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 43:27
    Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, " Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?
    Acts 7:13
    And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 37:28
    Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
    Genesis 39:1
    Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.
    Psalms 105:17
    He sent a man before them - Joseph - who was sold as a slave.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 45:7
    And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
    Genesis 45:8
    So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
    Genesis 50:20
    But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
    Psalms 105:16
    Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread.
    Psalms 105:17
    He sent a man before them - Joseph - who was sold as a slave.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 43:1
    Now the famine was severe in the land.
    Genesis 47:4
    And they said to Pharaoh, "We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.
    Genesis 47:13
    Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 45:5
    But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
    Genesis 50:20
    But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
  8. Cross References
    Romans 8:28
    And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
  9. Cross References
    Judges 17:10
    Micah said to him, "Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance." So the Levite went in.
    Isaiah 22:21
    I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And to the house of Judah.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 41:43
    And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" So he set him over all the land of Egypt.
    Genesis 42:6
    Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 46:28
    Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen.
    Genesis 46:34
    "that you shall say, 'Your servants' occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."
    Genesis 47:1
    Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen.
    Genesis 47:6
    "The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock."
    Exodus 9:26
    Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 47:12
    Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with bread, according to the number in their families.
  13. Cross References
    Genesis 42:23
    But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 46:6 - 28
    So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.
    Acts 7:14
    Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 48:10
    Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 27:28
    Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.
    Genesis 47:6
    "The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock."
    Deuteronomy 32:9 - 14
    For the LORD's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 45:19
    Now you are commanded - do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come.
    Genesis 46:5
    Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
  18. Cross References
    2 Kings 5:5
    Then the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 43:34
    Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin's serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
  20. Cross References
    Job 29:24
    If I mocked at them, they did not believe it, And the light of my countenance they did not cast down.
    Psalms 126:1
    When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream.
    Luke 24:11
    And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
    Luke 24:41
    But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?
  21. Cross References
    Judges 15:19
    So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he called its name En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.
    Isaiah 40:29
    He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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