1Joseph could no longer control himself in front of those standing near him. He sent them out of the room and when he was alone with his brothers he made himself known to them. / Joseph could no longer control his feelings in front of his servants. He sent them out of the room. When he was alone with his brothers, he told them: »I am Joseph!« 2He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. In fact, Pharaoh’s household heard about it. 3Joseph said to his brothers: »I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?« His brothers could not answer him because they were afraid of him. 4»Please come closer to me,« Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. He said: »I am Joseph, the brother you sold into slavery in Egypt! 5»Dear brothers, do not be sad or angry with yourselves that you sold me. God sent me ahead of you to save lives. 6»The famine has been in the land for two years. There will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. 7»God sent me ahead of you to make sure that you would have descendants on the earth, and to save your lives in an amazing way. 8»It was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me like a father to Pharaoh. He made me lord over his entire household, and ruler of Egypt. 9»Hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: »God has made me lord of Egypt. Come here to me immediately! 10»‘»Live in the land of Goshen. You will be near me. Live there with your children and your grandchildren, as well as your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11»‘»I will provide for you in Egypt. For there will be five more years of famine. Then you, your family, and all who belong to you will not lose all that you have.« ’ 12»You and my brother Benjamin can see for yourselves that I am the one who is speaking to you. 13»You must tell my father of my entire splendor in Egypt. Tell him all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.« 14Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck huged his brother and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. (Acts 20:37) 15He kissed all his brothers and wept on them. Afterward his brothers talked with him. 16When the news reached the palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, the king and his officials were pleased. 17The king said to Joseph: »Tell your brothers to load their animals and to return to the land of Canaan. 18»Have them get their father and their families and come back here. I will give them the best of the land in Egypt. They will have more than enough to live on. 19»Tell them to take wagons with them from Egypt to bring their wives and small children and to bring their father with them. 20»They should not worry about leaving their possessions behind. The best in the whole land of Egypt will be theirs.« 21The sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons filled with food for the trip, as the king had ordered. 22Joseph gave some new clothes to each of his brothers. He gave Benjamin five new outfits and three hundred pieces of silver. 23To his father he sent ten donkeys loaded with the best things in Egypt. And ten other donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other food for the return trip. 24Then he sent his brothers off and told them: »Do not argue on the way home!« 25Joseph’s brothers left Egypt. When they arrived in Canaan, 26they told their father that Joseph was still alive and was the ruler of Egypt. But their father was so surprised that he could not believe them. 27Then they told him everything Joseph said. When he saw the wagons Joseph had sent, he felt much better. 28He said: »Now I can believe you! My son Joseph must really be alive. I will get to see him before I die.«