The Scriptures (ISR 1998) 1And Yosĕph was unable to restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he called out, “Have everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Yosĕph made himself known to his brothers. 2And he wept aloud, and the Mitsrites and the house of Pharaoh heard it. 3And Yosĕph said to his brothers, “I am Yosĕph, is my father still alive?” But his brothers were unable to answer him, for they trembled before him. 4Then Yosĕph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” And when they came near, he said, “I am Yosĕph your brother, whom you sold into Mitsrayim. 5“And now, do not be grieved nor displeased with yourselves because you sold me here, for Elohim sent me before you to preserve life. 6“For two years now the scarcity of food has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there is neither ploughing nor harvesting. 7“And Elohim sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to give life to you by a great escape. 8“So then, you did not send me here, but Elohim. And He has set me for a father to Pharaoh, and master of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Mitsrayim. 9“Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Yosĕph, “Elohim has made me master of all Mitsrayim. Come down to me, do not delay. 10“And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 11“And I shall provide for you there, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty, because five years of scarcity of food are still to come.” ’ 12“And look, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Binyamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13“And you shall inform my father of all my esteem in Mitsrayim, and of all that you have seen. And you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” 14And he fell on his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck. 15And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers spoke with him. 16And the report of it was heard by the house of Pharaoh, saying, “The brothers of Yosĕph have come.” And it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants. 17And Pharaoh said to Yosĕph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your beasts and go, enter the land of Kena‛an, 18and take your father and your households and come to me, and I give you the best of the land of Mitsrayim, and you eat the fat of the land. 19‘And you, you have been commanded, do this: Take wagons out of the land of Mitsrayim for your little ones and your wives. And you shall bring your father, and come. 20‘And do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Mitsrayim is yours.’ ” 21And the sons of Yisra’ĕl did so. And Yosĕph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them food for the journey. 22He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments, but to Binyamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. 23And he sent to his father this: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Mitsrayim, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, and bread, and food for his father for the journey. 24So he sent his brothers away, and they left. And he said to them, “Do not quarrel along the way.” 25And they went up out of Mitsrayim, and came to the land of Kena‛an to Ya‛aqoḇ their father. 26And they told him, saying, “Yosĕph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Mitsrayim.” And Ya‛aqoḇ’s heart ceased, for he did not believe them. 27But when they spoke to him all the words which Yosĕph had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons which Yosĕph had sent to transport him, the spirit of Ya‛aqoḇ their father revived. 28And Yisra’ĕl said, “Enough! My son Yosĕph is still alive. Let me go and see him before I die.” |