18Then Judas stepped forward and said: "Let it please my lord to allow me, your servant, to speak a word to you. [355] Only do not be angry with your servant for this, although you are like Pharaoh himself! 19My lord, you have asked us, your servants, if we have a father or a brother. 20We have told you, my lord, that we have an aged father, and he has a child of his old age, a younger son whose own brother is dead. Of his mother's sons, he is the only one left, and his father loves him very much.

21 Then thou commanded us thy servants to bring him with us, that thou mayest look upon him. 22 We, my lord, have told thee, that this lad cannot leave his father, for the father will not endure it, he shall die. 23But you commanded us your servants not to come to you without our younger brother.

24When we returned home to your servant our father, we told him what you had said, my lord, 25so that when our father again said to us, "Go back to Egypt and buy us some grain," 26 we had only one answer: "We must not go there. We will go to Egypt if our younger brother is with us, for otherwise we will not be allowed to see the man who rules the country there."

27Then your servant, my father, said: "You know that my wife Rachel bore me two sons. 28One left me and did not return, and then I said, "He has been torn to pieces by a wild beast." I haven't seen him since. 29If you take my other son away from me, and a misfortune befalls him, I will not be able to bear the loss. With sorrow for him you will bring my gray head to the grave[356]."

30And now, if I come to my father your servant without a son to whom he is attached with all his heart, 31he will die as soon as he sees that his youngest son is not with us. and we, thy servants, will bring down to the grave the gray head of our father thy servant in great sorrow. 32 Moreover, I, your servant, have sworn to my father, saying, "The lad will return home. If I don't bring him back to you, father, I'll be guilty to you all my life."

33 Now, my lord, let me[357] remain your servant in his place, and let him go with his brothers. E-34 For how shall I return to my father if Benjamin is not with me? I will not be able to look at the grief that will slay my father."

"Joseph lives!"

45 Joseph could no longer restrain himself, and not wishing to humiliate his brothers before all his servants, he commanded the servants to leave him alone. When they departed, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, 2 he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard and learned about it in Pharaoh's palace.

3"I am Joseph! – he said to his brothers. The brothers, seeing Joseph face to face, could not utter a word, but stood in a daze. 4"Come to me, then," he called to them. They approached. "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt," he said. "5But now you need not be grieved and indignant with yourselves for having sold me, for it is God who has sent me hither beforehand to save your life." 6For two years there has been a famine throughout the land, and for another five years they will neither sow nor reap. 7And God sent me into this country before you, to preserve the remnant of his people on the earth, and to prolong your life by accomplishing great salvation.

8So it was not you who sent me hither, but God. And he made me chief counsellor of Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler of all the land of Egypt. 9Now hasten to return to my father and tell him the words of his son Joseph: "God has made me ruler of all Egypt. Come to me as soon as possible! 10You will dwell in the land of Goshen[361] and you will be near me, yourself, your children and grandchildren, all your cattle, and all that you have. 11 There I will be able to take care of you, so that neither you nor those who live with you will fall into want and lose what you have, for there are still five years of famine ahead." 12You see for yourselves, and you, Benjamin, my brother, see that it is I, Joseph, who tell you all these things with my mouth. 13 So tell your father about my high position in Egypt, and about all that you have seen here, and bring my father hither quickly."

14 When he had said this, he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin, and wept loudly. Benjamin also wept, embracing him. 15Without ceasing to weep, Joseph kissed all his brothers, who were only then able to speak.

16Word that Joseph's brothers had come reached Pharaoh's palace; The pharaoh and his courtiers were very happy about this. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph: "Tell your brothers what I have to say: 'This is what you must do now: Load your donkeys and hasten to Canaan. 18Take your father and your families and come to me. I will give you the best that is in the land of Egypt, and you will enjoy the blessings[362] of this land." 19And tell them again to take carts in Egypt for their children and wives and to bring their father here. 20Let them not regret their possessions that they leave there: the best that they have in Egypt will be with them."

21 The children of Israel did everything as they were told. And Joseph gave them wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and provisions for the journey. 22 And he gave each of them new garments, and to Benjamin he gave five new garments and three hundred pieces of silver. 23Joseph sent to his father ten donkeys loaded with the most splendid things of the land of Egypt, and ten donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other provisions that his father might need on the journey. 24 And when he was sending the brothers on their way, he said to them: "Let no evil thoughts trouble you[364] on the way."

25So they left Egypt and came to Canaan to their father Jacob. 26When they said to him, "Joseph is alive! He rules all Egypt!" Jacob's heart sank, he did not believe them. 27 However, when they told his father all Joseph's words, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to transport him, he was cheered. 28"As my son Joseph lives! Israel exclaimed. "What more could I want?" I will go and see him before my death."