Study Desk

"Why were you so cruel to me?" Jacob moaned. "Why did you tell him you had another brother?"

"The man kept asking us questions about our family," they replied. "He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we answered his questions. How could we know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here'?"

So their father, Jacob, finally said to them, "If it can't be avoided, then at least do this. Pack your bags with the best products of this land. Take them down to the man as gifts—balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I must lose my children, so be it."

So the men packed Jacob's gifts and double the money and headed off with Benjamin. They finally arrived in Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.

So the man did as Joseph told him and took them into Joseph's palace.

They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph's arrival at noon.

And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Then put my personal silver cup at the top of the youngest brother's sack, along with the money for his grain." So the manager did as Joseph instructed him.

"And you said to us, ‘Bring him here so I can see him with my own eyes.'

"So we returned to your servant, our father, and told him what you had said.

"So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.

Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, "Out, all of you!" So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was.

Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh's palace.

"Please, come closer," he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, "I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt.

So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

"Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately!

Then Joseph added, "Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph!

So the sons of Jacob did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey.

So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, "Don't quarrel about all this along the way!"