Genesis 46:31-47:10
Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household,“ I will go up and inform Pharaoh, telling him: My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.The men are shepherds; they also raise livestock. They have brought their sheep and cattle and all that they have.When Pharaoh addresses you and asks,‘ What is your occupation?’you are to say,‘ Your servants, both we and our fathers, have raised livestock from our youth until now.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians.”So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh:“ My father and my brothers, with their sheep and cattle and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.”He took five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.Then Pharaoh asked his brothers,“ What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh,“ Your servants, both we and our fathers, are shepherds.”Then they said to Pharaoh,“ We have come to live in the land for a while because there is no grazing land for your servants’ sheep, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please let your servants settle in the land of Goshen.”Then Pharaoh said to Joseph,“ Now that your father and brothers have come to you,the land of Egypt is open before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They can live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”Joseph then brought his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.Then Pharaoh said to Jacob,“ How many years have you lived?”Jacob said to Pharaoh,“ My pilgrimage has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard, and they have not surpassed the years of my fathers during their pilgrimages.”So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from Pharaoh’s presence.
Genesis 45:1-18
Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, so he called out,“ Send everyone away from me!” No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers.But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh’s household heard it.Joseph said to his brothers,“ I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence.Then Joseph said to his brothers,“ Please, come near me,” and they came near.“ I am Joseph, your brother,” he said,“ the one you sold into Egypt.And now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.“ Return quickly to my father and say to him,‘ This is what your son Joseph says:“ God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay.You can settle in the land of Goshen and be near me— you, your children, and grandchildren, your sheep, cattle, and all you have.There I will sustain you, for there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you, your household, and everything you have will become destitute.”’Look! Your eyes and my brother Benjamin’s eyes can see that it is I, Joseph, who am speaking to you.Tell my father about all my glory in Egypt and about all you have seen. And bring my father here quickly.”Then Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder.Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept, and afterward his brothers talked with him.When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace,“ Joseph’s brothers have come,” Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.Pharaoh said to Joseph,“ Tell your brothers,‘ Do this: Load your animals and go on back to the land of Canaan.Get your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you can eat from the richness of the land.’
