1 Joseph couldn't control his emotions any longer while all his attendants were there, so he shouted out, “Everybody leave me!” So there was nobody else there when Joseph revealed who he was to his brothers. 2 But he cried so loudly that the Egyptians could hear him, and they told Pharaoh's household about it.

3 “I'm Joseph!” he announced to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” They couldn't answer him as they were so surprised to see him face to face.

4 “Please come closer to me,” he told his brothers. They came over to him. “I'm your brother Joseph who you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5 But don't be worried or get angry with yourselves that you sold me to be a slave here, because it was God who sent me ahead of you to save lives. 6 The country has suffered from famine for two years already, but there will be five more years with no plowing or reaping. 7 God sent me ahead of you to make sure you would still have descendants, to save your lives in this miraculous way.* “In this miraculous way”: or “with many survivors.” 8 So it wasn't you who sent me here, but God. He was the one who made me Pharaoh's chief advisor† “Pharaoh's chief advisor”: literally, “a father to Pharaoh.” in charge of all his affairs, and ruler of the whole country of Egypt.

9 Now hurry! Go back to my father and tell him, ‘This message comes from your son Joseph: God has made me the ruler of the whole of Egypt. Come to me now; don't wait. 10 You'll live in the land of Goshen so you can be close to me with your children and grandchildren, and with your flocks and herds and everything that belongs to you. 11 I'll make sure you have food, because there are still five more years of famine to come. Otherwise you and your family and your animals are going to starve.’ ”

12 Then Joseph told his brothers,‡ “Then Joseph told his brothers”: supplied for clarity to show that Joseph is now addressing his brothers directly again. “You can all see for yourselves—including my brother Benjamin—that it's really me talking to you! 13 Tell my father how much I'm respected in Egypt. Tell him everything that you've seen. Hurry! Bring my father here quickly!” 14 He hugged Benjamin, and Benjamin hugged him back. They both wept for joy. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers were able to start talking with him.

16 Word soon reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had arrived. Pharaoh and his officials were glad to hear the news.

17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you are to do: Load your donkeys with grain and go back to the country of Canaan. 18 Then bring your father and your families and return here to me. I will give you the best land in Egypt, and you shall eat the best food the country has to offer.’

19 Tell them to do this as well, ‘Take some wagons from Egypt for your children and your wives. Bring them and your father here. 20 Don't worry about bringing your possessions because the best of all Egypt is yours.’ ”

21 So that's what the sons of Israel did. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had ordered. He also gave them supplies for their journey. 22 He gave each of them new clothes. But to Benjamin he gave five sets of clothes and 300 pieces of silver. 23 Joseph also sent to his father the following: ten donkeys carrying the best things from Egypt, and ten female donkeys carrying grain and bread and supplies needed for his father's journey.

24 Then he saw his brothers off, and as they left he told them, “Don't argue on the way!” 25 So they left Egypt and went back home to their father Jacob in the country of Canaan.

26 “Joseph's still alive!” they told him. “It's true, and he's the ruler of the whole country of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he just couldn't believe it! 27 But when they told him everything that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to take him to Egypt, Jacob came back to his senses. 28 Israel said, “All right, I believe you! My son Joseph is still alive! I'm going to go and see him before I die.”