Genesis 45
You Sold Me; God Sent Me
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Revealing Providence
45:1Joseph could no longer bear the presence of all those standing by him. He said, “Send everyone away from me!” No one else remained with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.
45:2He wept aloud. All the Egyptians heard it, and the sound reached Pharaoh’s household.
45:3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him, for they were troubled.
45:4Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me.” They came near. He said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.”
45:5“Do not grieve or let it seem hard to you that you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you for life.”
45:6“This is the second year of famine in the land, and five years remain in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.”
45:7“God sent me ahead of you to leave a remnant of you on earth and to nourish a great remnant of you.”
45:8“So now, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me like a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”
Graceful Mercy
45:9“Hurry therefore, and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: God has made me lord of all the land of Egypt; come down to me, and do not delay.’”
45:10“And you shall dwell in the land of Gesem of Arabia, and you shall be near me—you, and your sons, and your grandsons, your sheep, your oxen, and all that you have.”
45:11“I will nourish you there, for five years of famine remain, so you, your sons, and all your possessions will not be wiped out.”
45:12“Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my own mouth speaking to you.”
45:13“Report therefore to my father all my glory in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and make haste and bring my father down here.”
Reconciling Provision
45:14He fell upon the neck of Benjamin his brother and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
45:15And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them; and after that his brothers spoke with him.
45:16The report spread through Pharaoh’s house: “Joseph’s brothers have come.” Pharaoh and his attendants rejoiced.
45:17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: load your transport and depart for Canaan.’”
45:18“‘Take your father and your possessions and come to me. I will give you some of all Egypt’s good things, and you will eat the marrow of the land.’”
45:19“Give this command, that they take wagons from Egypt: ‘Take them for your children and wives, bring your father, and come.’”
45:20“‘Do not be concerned about your belongings, for all Egypt’s good things will be yours.’”
45:21And the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the word of Pharaoh the king, and he gave them provisions for the journey.
45:22He gave them all two robes each, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of gold and five changes of robes.
45:23He sent his father the same, along with ten donkeys loaded with some of all Egypt’s good things and ten female mules loaded with bread for his father’s journey.
45:24So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “Do not become angry on the way.”
45:25And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.
45:26They told him, “Your son Joseph is alive, and he rules all Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.
45:27They told him everything Joseph had said to them. When he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father was rekindled.
45:28And Israel said, “It is a great thing to me if my son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.