Immerse: Beginnings Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 84
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IMMERSE
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BEGINNINGS
45:12–46:3
still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and
all your animals will starve.’”
Then Joseph added, “Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my
brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen,
and then bring my father here quickly.” Weeping with joy, he embraced
Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same. Then Joseph kissed each of his
brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely
with him.
The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do:
Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. Then get
your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you
the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land
produces.’”
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from
the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring
your father here. Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best
of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
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. And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave
five changes of clothes and 300 pieces of silver. He also sent his father ten
male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female
donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need
on his journey.
So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them,
“Don’t quarrel about all this along the way!” And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.
“Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of
Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the n ews—he couldn’t believe it. But when
they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he
saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits revived.
Then Jacob exclaimed, “It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must
go and see him before I die.”
So Jacob set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to
Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. During the
night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called.
“Here I am,” Jacob replied.
“I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to
