1. Joseph could not control himself any longer. He cried in front of all the people who were there. Joseph said, “Tell everyone to leave here.” So all the people left. Only the brothers were left with Joseph. Then he told them who he was.
2. Joseph continued to cry, and all the Egyptian people in Pharaoh’s house heard it.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Now don’t be worried. Don’t be angry with yourselves for what you did. It was God’s plan for me to come here. I am here to save people’s lives.
6. This terrible famine has continued for two years now, and there will be five more years without planting or harvest.
7. So God sent me here ahead of you so that I can save your people in this country.
8. 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.”
9. 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.
10. You can live near me in the land of Goshen. You, your children, your grandchildren, and all of your animals are welcome here.
11. I will take care of you during the next five years of hunger. So you and your family will not lose everything you own.’
12. “Surely you can see that I really am Joseph. Even my brother Benjamin knows it is me, your brother, talking to you.
13. So tell my father about the honor I have received here in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen here. Now hurry, go bring my father back to me.”