1. Joseph couldn't control himself anymore in front of all of his attendants. He cried out, "Have everyone leave me!" So there wasn't anyone with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was.
2. He sobbed so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. Everyone in Pharaoh's house heard about it.
3. Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers weren't able to answer him. They were too afraid of him.
4. Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." So they did. Then he said, "I am your brother Joseph. I'm the one you sold into Egypt.
5. But don't be upset. And don't be angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me ahead of you to save many lives.
6. "For two years now, there hasn't been enough food in the land. And for the next five years, people won't be plowing or gathering crops.
7. But God sent me ahead of you to keep some of you alive on earth. He sent me here to save your lives by an act of mighty power.
8. "So then, it wasn't you who sent me here. It was God. He made me like a father to Pharaoh. He made me master of Pharaoh's whole house. He made me ruler of the whole land of Egypt.
9. "Now hurry back to my father. Say to him, 'Your son Joseph says, "God has made me master of the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me. Don't waste any time.
10. You will live in the area of Goshen. You, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you have will be near me.
11. There I will provide everything you need. " ' "Five years without enough food are still coming. If you don't come down here, you and your family and everyone who belongs to you will lose everything." '
12. "Brothers, you can see for yourselves that it's really I, Joseph, speaking to you. My brother Benjamin can see it too.
13. "Tell my father about all of the honor that has been given to me in Egypt. Tell him about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly."