Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Jacob appeared in his presence, he embraced him and wept for a long time as he held on to him.

So hurry up, go back to my father, and tell him that his son Joseph tells him, "God has made me master of all of Egypt. Hurry up! Come live with me!' You are to live in the land of Goshen, near where I am you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything that you own. I'll provide for you there, since there are still five years of famine left to go, and you, your households, and everything you own would have otherwise become impoverished. read more.
"Look, now! All of you can see me! And my own brother Benjamin can tell that it's really me speaking to you! So go tell my father about all of my splendor in Egypt. Tell him about everything that you've seen. Be quick about it, and bring my father down here!"

Joseph settled his father and brothers, assigning them their own land in the best part of Egypt (in the territory of Rameses), just as Pharaoh had ordered. Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and all of his father's household, proportionate to the number of young children.

Joseph took them off his knees and then bowed low with his face to the ground.

Then Joseph embraced his father, cried over him, and kissed him. After this, he issued orders to his physician servants to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel. It took 40 days to complete the process, the normal period required for embalming. Meanwhile, the Egyptians mourned for him for 70 days. read more.
At the conclusion of the mourning period, Joseph addressed Pharaoh's household. "If you're satisfied with me, would you please take this message to Pharaoh for me? Tell him, "My father told me, "Look! I'm about to die. Bury me in my grave that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan." So please let me travel to bury my father. I'll be right back.'" "Please go," Pharaoh replied. "Bury your father, as he asked you to do." So Joseph got up and went to bury his father, accompanied by all of Pharaoh's servants, all of the elders of Egypt, all of Joseph's household, his brothers, and his father's household. They left behind in the territory of Goshen only their youngest children, their flocks, and their herds. Chariots and horsemen also accompanied Joseph, so there were a lot of people. When they arrived at Atad's threshing floor, which is located beyond the Jordan River, they held a great and mournful memorial service, during which Joseph spent seven days mourning for his father. As soon as the Canaanites who lived in the land observed the mourning going on at Atad's threshing floor, they commented "This is a significant time of mourning for the Egyptians." That's why the place, which is located beyond the Jordan River, became known as Abel-mizraim. And so Israel's sons did what he had instructed them to do: they carried him to the territory of Canaan and buried him in the cave in Machpelah field near Mamre that Abraham had purchased as a cemetery from Ephron the Hittite.


"I'm your brother Joseph, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt!" he told them. "But don't be distressed or angry at yourselves because you sold me here, because God sent me ahead of you all in order to deliver us. That's because this famine has been going on for two years now in this region, and there are still five years left, during which there won't be any plowing or harvesting. God sent me ahead of you to keep you alive on the earth, and to save you all in a magnificent way. read more.
As a result, it wasn't you who sent me here, but God himself! He established me as a father-figure to Pharaoh himself! I'm in charge of his entire palace and ruler over the entire land of Egypt. So hurry up, go back to my father, and tell him that his son Joseph tells him, "God has made me master of all of Egypt. Hurry up! Come live with me!' You are to live in the land of Goshen, near where I am you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything that you own. I'll provide for you there, since there are still five years of famine left to go, and you, your households, and everything you own would have otherwise become impoverished. "Look, now! All of you can see me! And my own brother Benjamin can tell that it's really me speaking to you! So go tell my father about all of my splendor in Egypt. Tell him about everything that you've seen. Be quick about it, and bring my father down here!" Then he threw his arms around Benjamin and wept as they embraced. He kissed all of his brothers and wept with them, too, and then his brothers were able to talk with him.

"Don't be afraid," Joseph responded. "Am I sitting in God's place? As far as you're concerned, you were planning evil against me, but God intended it for good, planning to bring about the present result so that many people would be preserved alive. So don't be afraid! I'll take care of you and your little ones." So Joseph kept on comforting them, speaking to the needs of their hearts.


At this point, Joseph could not control his emotions any longer, so he cried out to everyone who was standing nearby, "Everybody! Leave me!" As a result, none of his staff was anywhere near him when he revealed himself to his brothers. He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, including Pharaoh's household. Joseph blurted out, "I'm Joseph! Is my father really alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, because they had become terrified to be in his presence. read more.
Joseph implored his brothers, "Please come close to me." So they did. "I'm your brother Joseph, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt!" he told them. "But don't be distressed or angry at yourselves because you sold me here, because God sent me ahead of you all in order to deliver us. That's because this famine has been going on for two years now in this region, and there are still five years left, during which there won't be any plowing or harvesting. God sent me ahead of you to keep you alive on the earth, and to save you all in a magnificent way. As a result, it wasn't you who sent me here, but God himself! He established me as a father-figure to Pharaoh himself! I'm in charge of his entire palace and ruler over the entire land of Egypt. So hurry up, go back to my father, and tell him that his son Joseph tells him, "God has made me master of all of Egypt. Hurry up! Come live with me!' You are to live in the land of Goshen, near where I am you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything that you own. I'll provide for you there, since there are still five years of famine left to go, and you, your households, and everything you own would have otherwise become impoverished. "Look, now! All of you can see me! And my own brother Benjamin can tell that it's really me speaking to you! So go tell my father about all of my splendor in Egypt. Tell him about everything that you've seen. Be quick about it, and bring my father down here!" Then he threw his arms around Benjamin and wept as they embraced. He kissed all of his brothers and wept with them, too, and then his brothers were able to talk with him.


As a result, it wasn't you who sent me here, but God himself! He established me as a father-figure to Pharaoh himself! I'm in charge of his entire palace and ruler over the entire land of Egypt.

So go tell my father about all of my splendor in Egypt. Tell him about everything that you've seen. Be quick about it, and bring my father down here!"