How does Joseph explain his arrival in Egypt and arrange for his father to join him?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Joseph says God sent him ahead to preserve his brothers and provide food during the famine. He asks them to bring their father to Gessen, where he will support the household through the five years still remaining; Pharao provides an invitation and wagons for the journey.

Chapter breakdown

Joseph can no longer restrain himself before the many people standing by. He orders everyone else to leave so that no stranger is present when he and his brothers recognize one another. He weeps aloud, and the Egyptians and all Pharao’s household hear him. He says, “I am Joseph: Is my father yet living?” His brothers cannot answer because they are struck with very great fear. He gently tells them to come nearer. When they do, he identifies himself as their brother whom they sold into Egypt.

Joseph tells them not to be afraid or regard selling him into these countries as a hard case, because God sent him ahead into Egypt for their preservation. The famine has lasted two years, and five more remain in which there can be neither ploughing nor reaping. He says God sent him ahead so they could be preserved on the earth and have food to live. He explains that he was sent there by God’s will rather than their plan, and that God has made him as though a father to Pharao, lord of his whole house and governor throughout Egypt.

Joseph tells his brothers to hurry back to their father with a message from his son: God has made Joseph lord of all Egypt, and his father must come down without delay. His father is to live near him in Gessen with his sons, grandsons, sheep, herds and everything he owns. Joseph will feed him there through the five remaining famine years, lest his father, household and possessions perish. Joseph points to their own eyes, including Benjamin’s, as witnesses that it is his mouth speaking to them. They must tell their father about all his glory and everything they have seen in Egypt, then hurry to bring him.

Joseph falls on Benjamin’s neck, embraces him and weeps; Benjamin also weeps on his neck. Joseph kisses all his brothers and weeps upon every one of them. After this, they are encouraged to speak to him. News that Joseph’s brothers have come spreads through the king’s court, and Pharao and all his family are glad.

Pharao tells Joseph to order his brothers to load their animals and return to Chanaan. They are to bring their father and relatives to him; he will give them all the good things of Egypt so they may eat the “marrow of the land”—its best produce. He also orders them to take Egyptian wagons to carry their children and wives, take up their father, and come with all speed. His next instruction reads, “And leave nothing of your household stuff; for all the riches of Egypt shall be yours.” The instruction and promise are retained as this edition gives them.

The sons of Israel follow these instructions. Joseph gives them wagons according to Pharao’s command and provisions for the journey. Each brother receives two robes; Benjamin receives three hundred pieces of silver and five of the best robes. Joseph sends his father as much money and clothing, adding ten male donkeys to carry the riches of Egypt and ten female donkeys carrying wheat and bread for the journey.

Joseph sends his brothers away, telling them, “Be not angry in the way.” They go up from Egypt to Chanaan and their father Jacob. They tell him that Joseph is alive and rules in all Egypt. On hearing this, Jacob awakens as though from a deep sleep, yet does not believe them.

They tell Jacob the whole course of what happened. When he sees the wagons and everything Joseph has sent, his spirit revives. He says, “It is enough for me if Joseph, my son, be yet living: I will go and see him before I die.” The chapter ends with his resolve to go.

The story inside

Joseph’s explanation turns toward a concrete task: keeping his family supplied while five years of famine remain. After identifying himself and telling his brothers what God has done, he gives them a message, a place to live near him and a promise to feed the household. Pharao’s invitation supplies wagons for the children and wives, while Joseph provides travel food and gifts. At home, the brothers’ first report does not convince Jacob. Their full account and the wagons and other things sent with them are followed by his revived spirit and decision to see Joseph. The chapter moves from Joseph’s words about preservation to arrangements for travel, and ends with Jacob’s decision rather than the journey itself (Genesis 45:5–28).

Lessons worth keeping

1
Joseph’s explanation names both the sale and his present task. He identifies himself as the brother they sold, then says God sent him ahead so they could live. Keeping both statements shows what he actually tells them without adding a wider theory of their motives or God’s purposes (45:4–8).
2
The invitation includes support for the whole household. Joseph names sons, grandsons, sheep, herds and possessions, promises food for the remaining five famine years, and Pharao orders wagons for wives and children. The plan gives the family a destination and means of reaching it (45:9–11, 17–23).
3
Jacob’s response changes as he receives the account and sees what Joseph sent. He initially does not believe the news; after the full report and the sight of the wagons and other gifts, his spirit revives and he decides to go. These are the particular witnesses named by the account (45:26–28).

Test your recall

Why does Joseph ask his father to come without delay, what support is provided for the journey and stay, and what accompanies Jacob’s change from disbelief to deciding to go?

Show answer

Joseph says that five years of famine remain, so his father should come quickly to live near him and receive food. Pharao provides permission and wagons; Joseph sends provisions, clothing, money, and loaded animals for the journey. Jacob first does not believe that Joseph is alive. Hearing the full account and seeing the wagons revives his spirit, and he decides to go and see his son before he dies.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 5242–5261
Genesis Chapter 45 Joseph maketh himself known to his brethren: and sendeth for his father. 45:1. Joseph could no longer refrain himself before many that stood by: whereupon he commanded that all should go out, and no stranger be present at their knowing one another. 45:2. And he lifted up his voice with weeping, which the Egyptians, and all the house of Pharao heard. 45:3. And he said to his brethren: I am Joseph: Is my father yet living? His brethren could not answer him, being struck with exceeding great fear. 45:4. And he said mildly to them: Come nearer to me. And when they were come near him, he said: I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
Lines 5262–5276
45:5. Be not afraid, and let it not seem to you a hard case that you sold me into these countries: for God sent me before you into Egypt for your preservation. 45:6. For it is two years since the famine began to be upon the land, and five years more remain, wherein there can be neither ploughing nor reaping. 45:7. And God sent me before, that you may be preserved upon the earth, and may have food to live. 45:8. Not by your counsel was I sent hither, but by the will of God: who hath made me as it were a father to Pharao, and lord of his whole house, and governor in all the land of Egypt.
Lines 5277–5294
45:9. Make haste, and go ye up to my father, and say to him: Thus saith thy son Joseph: God hath made me lord of the whole land of Egypt; come down to me, linger not. 45:10. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Gessen: and thou shalt be near me, thou and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, thy sheep, and thy herds, and all things that thou hast. 45:11. And there I will feed thee, (for there are yet five years of famine remaining) lest both thou perish, and thy house, and all things that thou hast. 45:12. Behold, your eyes, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, see that it is my mouth that speaketh to you. 45:13. You shall tell my father of all my glory, and all things that you have seen in Egypt: make haste and bring him to me.
Lines 5295–5304
45:14. And falling upon the neck of his brother Benjamin, he embraced him and wept: and Benjamin in like manner wept also on his neck. 45:15. And Joseph kissed all his brethren, and wept upon every one of them: after which they were emboldened to speak to him. 45:16. And it was heard, and the fame was spread abroad in the king’s court: The brethren of Joseph are come; and Pharao with all his family was glad.
Lines 5305–5318
45:17. And he spoke to Joseph that he should give orders to his brethren, saying: Load your beasts, and go into the land of Chanaan, 45:18. And bring away from thence your father and kindred, and come to me; and I will give you all the good things of Egypt, that you may eat the marrow of the land. 45:19. Give orders also that they take wagons out of the land of Egypt, for the carriage of their children and their wives; and say: Take up your father, and make haste to come with all speed: 45:20. And leave nothing of your household stuff; for all the riches of Egypt shall be yours.
Lines 5319–5330
45:21. And the sons of Israel did as they were bid. And Joseph gave them wagons according to Pharao’s commandment: and provisions for the way. 45:22. He ordered also to be brought out for every one of them two robes: but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, with five robes of the best: 45:23. Sending to his father as much money and raiment; adding besides, ten he-asses, to carry off all the riches of Egypt, and as many she-asses, carrying wheat and bread for the journey.
Lines 5331–5340
45:24. So he sent away his brethren, and at their departing said to them: Be not angry in the way. 45:25. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Chanaan, to their father Jacob. 45:26. And they told him, saying: Joseph, thy son, is living; and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. Which when Jacob heard, he awaked as it were out of a deep sleep, yet did not believe them.
Lines 5341–5347
45:27. They, on the other side, told the whole order of the thing. And when he saw the wagons, and all that he had sent, his spirit revived, 45:28. And he said: It is enough for me if Joseph, my son, be yet living: I will go and see him before I die.