Focused Passage

Genesis 45:16-28

Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers, Interprets Their Evil through God’s Purpose, and Calls the Family to Life in Egypt

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.

17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do as follows: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan.

18 Then bring your father and your families and return to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat from the fat of the land.’

19 You are also directed to tell them: ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives, and bring your father and come back.

20 But pay no regard to your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

21 So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.

22 He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.

23 And he sent to his father the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father’s journey.

24 Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way!”

25 So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.

26 “Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.

27 However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.

28 “Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

When the news וְהַקֹּ֣ל H6963 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular reached נִשְׁמַ֗ע H8085 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Pharaoh’s פַּרְעֹה֙ H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹ֔ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct house בֵּ֤ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct that Joseph’s יוֹסֵ֑ף H3130 Noun - proper - masculine singular brothers אֲחֵ֣י H251 Noun - masculine plural construct had come בָּ֖אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Pharaoh פַרְעֹ֔ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . וּבְעֵינֵ֖י H5869 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - cdc and his servants עֲבָדָֽיו׃ H5650 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular were pleased וַיִּיטַב֙ H3190 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . בְּעֵינֵ֣י H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc
Verse 17

Original words

Pharaoh פַּרְעֹה֙ H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Joseph יוֹסֵ֔ף H3130 Noun - proper - masculine singular Tell אֱמֹ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition your brothers אַחֶ֖יךָ H251 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Do עֲשׂ֑וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural as follows זֹ֣את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular Load טַֽעֲנוּ֙ H2943 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker your animals בְּעִ֣ירְכֶ֔ם H1165 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural and return וּלְכוּ־ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural . . . בֹ֖אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural to the land אַ֥רְצָה H776 Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular of Canaan כְּנָֽעַן׃ H3667 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

Then bring וּקְח֧וּ H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker your father אֲבִיכֶ֛ם H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and your families בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם H1004 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural and return וּבֹ֣אוּ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural to me אֵלָ֑י H413 Preposition | first person common singular I will give וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular - לָכֶ֗ם Preposition | second person masculine plural you אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the best טוּב֙ H2898 Noun - masculine singular construct of the land אֶ֣רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֔יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular and you shall eat וְאִכְל֖וּ H398 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker from the fat חֵ֥לֶב H2459 Noun - masculine singular construct of the land הָאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 19

Original words

You וְאַתָּ֥ה H859 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular are also directed to tell them צֻוֵּ֖יתָה H6680 Verb - Pual - Perfect - second person masculine singular . . . עֲשׂ֑וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural . . . זֹ֣את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular Take קְחוּ־ H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural - לָכֶם֩ Preposition | second person masculine plural wagons עֲגָל֗וֹת H5699 Noun - feminine plural from the land מֵאֶ֨רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֜יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular for your young children לְטַפְּכֶם֙ H2945 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural and your wives וְלִנְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם H802 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural and bring וּנְשָׂאתֶ֥ם H5375 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker your father אֲבִיכֶ֖ם H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural and come back וּבָאתֶֽם׃ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Verse 20

Original words

vvv אַל־ H408 Adverb But pay no regard וְעֵ֣ינְכֶ֔ם H5869 Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine plural . . . תָּחֹ֖ס H2347 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular to עַל־ H5921 Preposition your belongings כְּלֵיכֶ֑ם H3627 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural for כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction the best ט֛וּב H2898 Noun - masculine singular construct of all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the land אֶ֥רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֖יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular is הֽוּא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular yours לָכֶ֥ם Preposition | second person masculine plural
Verse 21

Original words

So the sons בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular did וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural [as they were told] כֵן֙ H3651 Adverb Joseph יוֹסֵ֛ף H3130 Noun - proper - masculine singular gave וַיִּתֵּ֨ן H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular them לָהֶ֥ם Preposition | third person masculine plural wagons עֲגָל֖וֹת H5699 Noun - feminine plural as עַל־ H5921 Preposition Pharaoh פַרְעֹ֑ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular had instructed פִּ֣י H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct and he also gave וַיִּתֵּ֥ן H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular them לָהֶ֛ם Preposition | third person masculine plural provisions צֵדָ֖ה H6720 Noun - feminine singular for their journey לַדָּֽרֶךְ׃ H1870 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular
Verse 22

Original words

- לְכֻלָּ֥ם H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural He gave נָתַ֛ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular new חֲלִפ֣וֹת H2487 Noun - feminine plural construct garments שְׂמָלֹ֑ת H8071 Noun - feminine plural to each of them לָאִ֖ישׁ H376 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular but to Benjamin וּלְבִנְיָמִ֤ן H1144 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular he gave נָתַן֙ H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular three שְׁלֹ֣שׁ H7969 Number - feminine singular construct hundred [shekels] מֵא֣וֹת H3967 Number - feminine plural of silver כֶּ֔סֶף H3701 Noun - masculine singular and five וְחָמֵ֖שׁ H2568 Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular sets חֲלִפֹ֥ת H2487 Noun - feminine plural construct of clothes שְׂמָלֹֽת׃ H8071 Noun - feminine plural

BSB notes

  • 300 shekels is approximately 7.5 pounds or 3.4 kilograms of silver.
Verse 23

Original words

And he sent שָׁלַ֤ח H7971 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to his father וּלְאָבִ֞יו H1 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular the following כְּזֹאת֙ H2063 Preposition-k | Pronoun - feminine singular ten עֲשָׂרָ֣ה H6235 Number - masculine singular donkeys חֲמֹרִ֔ים H2543 Noun - masculine plural loaded נֹשְׂאִ֖ים H5375 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural with the best מִטּ֣וּב H2898 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרָ֑יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular and ten וְעֶ֣שֶׂר H6235 Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular construct female donkeys אֲתֹנֹ֡ת H860 Noun - feminine plural loaded נֹֽ֠שְׂאֹת H5375 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural with grain בָּ֣ר H1250 Noun - masculine singular and bread וָלֶ֧חֶם H3899 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and provisions וּמָז֛וֹן H4202 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular for his father’s לְאָבִ֖יו H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular journey לַדָּֽרֶךְ׃ H1870 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular
Verse 24

Original words

Then Joseph sent his brothers אֶחָ֖יו H251 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular on their way וַיְשַׁלַּ֥ח H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker and as they were leaving וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural he said וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to them אֲלֵהֶ֔ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural Do not אַֽל־ H408 Adverb quarrel תִּרְגְּז֖וּ H7264 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural on the way בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃ H1870 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Verse 25

Original words

So [the brothers] went up וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ H5927 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural out of Egypt מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם H4714 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular and came וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural to אֶֽל־ H413 Preposition their father אֲבִיהֶֽם׃ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Jacob יַעֲקֹ֖ב H3290 Noun - proper - masculine singular in the land אֶ֣רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct of Canaan כְּנַ֔עַן H3667 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 26

Original words

Joseph יוֹסֵ֣ף H3130 Noun - proper - masculine singular is still ע֚וֹד H5750 Adverb alive חַ֔י H2416 Adjective - masculine singular they said וַיַּגִּ֨דוּ H5046 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural - לֵאמֹ֗ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct and וְכִֽי־ H3588 Conjunction he ה֥וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular is ruler מֹשֵׁ֖ל H4910 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular over all בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct the land אֶ֣רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרָ֑יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular But Jacob was stunned וַיָּ֣פָג H6313 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . לִבּ֔וֹ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction he did not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle believe הֶאֱמִ֖ין H539 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular them לָהֶֽם׃ Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 27

Original words

However, when they relayed וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural אֵלָ֗יו אֵלָ֗יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular - אֵ֣ת H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . דִּבְרֵ֤י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct that אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative Joseph יוֹסֵף֙ H3130 Noun - proper - masculine singular had told דִּבֶּ֣ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular them אֲלֵהֶ֔ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural and when he saw וַיַּרְא֙ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the wagons הָ֣עֲגָל֔וֹת H5699 Article | Noun - feminine plural that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative Joseph יוֹסֵ֖ף H3130 Noun - proper - masculine singular had sent שָׁלַ֥ח H7971 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to carry him לָשֵׂ֣את H5375 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct back אֹת֑וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular the spirit ר֖וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular construct of their father אֲבִיהֶֽם׃ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Jacob יַעֲקֹ֥ב H3290 Noun - proper - masculine singular was revived וַתְּחִ֕י H2421 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 28

Original words

Enough רַ֛ב H7227 Adverb declared וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular My son בְּנִ֖י H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Joseph יוֹסֵ֥ף H3130 Noun - proper - masculine singular is still עוֹד־ H5750 Adverb alive חָ֑י H2416 Adjective - masculine singular I will go אֵֽלְכָ֥ה H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular to see him וְאֶרְאֶ֖נּוּ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | third person masculine singular before בְּטֶ֥רֶם H2962 Preposition-b | Adverb I die אָמֽוּת׃ H4191 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.