Study Desk

Our father will die if he sees that the boy isn't with us—and it will be our fault. We will send our father to his grave a very sad man.

So now I beg you, please let the boy go back with his brothers, and I will stay and be your slave.

He said to his brothers, "I am your brother Joseph. Is my father doing well?" But the brothers did not answer him because they were confused and afraid.

So Joseph said to his brothers again, "Come here to me. I beg you, come here." When the brothers went to him, he said to them, "I am your brother Joseph. I am the one you sold as a slave to Egypt.

It was not your fault that I was sent here. It was God's plan. God made me like a father to Pharaoh. I am the governor over all his house and over all Egypt."

Joseph said, "Hurry up and go to my father. Tell him his son Joseph sent this message: ‘God made me the governor of Egypt. So come here to me quickly. Don't wait.

Then Joseph hugged his brother Benjamin, and they both began crying.

Then Joseph cried as he kissed all his brothers. After this, the brothers began talking with him.

Pharaoh learned that Joseph's brothers had come to him. This news spread throughout Pharaoh's house. Pharaoh and his servants were very excited!

Joseph also sent gifts to his father. He sent ten donkeys with bags full of many good things from Egypt. And he sent ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for his father on his trip back.

Then Joseph told his brothers to go. While they were leaving, he said to them, "Go straight home, and don't fight on the way."

So Israel began his trip to Egypt. First he went to Beersheba. There he worshiped God, the God of his father Isaac. He offered sacrifices.

I will go to Egypt with you, and I will bring you out of Egypt again. You will die there, but Joseph will be with you. His own hands will close your eyes when you die."

Then Jacob left Beersheba and traveled to Egypt. His sons, the sons of Israel, brought their father, their wives, and all their children to Egypt. They traveled in the wagons the Pharaoh had sent.

They also had their cattle and everything they owned in the land of Canaan. So Israel went to Egypt with all his children and his family.

With him were his sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters. All of his family went with him.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were Jacob's sons from his wife Leah. Leah had these sons in Paddan Aram. She also had a daughter named Dinah. There were 33 people in this family.

All these were Jacob's sons from his wife's servant, Zilpah. (Zilpah was the maid that Laban had given to his daughter Leah.) There were 16 people in this family.

These were the sons of Jacob from his wife Rachel. There were 14 people in this family.

These were the sons of Jacob and Bilhah. (Bilhah was the maid that Laban had given to his daughter Rachel.) There were seven people in this family.