Bible verse by verse

[_LittleNipper]

Genesis 42:1-38 Jacob hears that grain was available in Egypt. He tells his sons that they have to get off their butts and try to buy some grain in Egypt or they will all die. All of Joseph’s ten older brothers go to Egypt. Benjamin the youngest stayed home with Jacob, who feared for his safety. The sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, because of the famine. Joseph was in charge of selling grain to all the people. Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, when they bowed before him. He pretended to be a stranger speaking harshly to them -- demanding where they are from? They replied that they are fom Canaan and have come to buy food. They didn’t recognize him. Joseph remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before and said that they were spies! The brothers deny this and say that they are all related and have only come to buy food. Joseph insists that they are spies... The brothers relate that there are actually twelve brothers and sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. The youngest brother is back there with the father. Joseph says he will test the story. Joseph swears that they will never leave Egypt unless the youngest brother comes here. Joseph says one must go and get that brother. The rest will wait in prison. If it turns out that there isn't a younger brother, then they must be spies. Joseph lets them stew in prison for three days. On the third day Joseph comes to them saying that he is a resonable man. To prove they are honest men, they are to choose one brother to remain in prison. The rest may go home with grain for their starving families. However, they must bring the youngest brother back to Joseph. This will prove that they are telling the truth, and they will not die.To this they agree. Speaking among themselves, the brother admit that they are being punished because of what they did to Joseph long ago. They saw his anguish, but wouldn’t listen. Now it is their turn. Reuben says that he tried to tell them but they wouldn’t listen. And now they must pay for the blood of Joseph. They are speaking in Hebrew and have no clue that Joseph understands everything they say ---- since Joseph had used an interpreter as part of his ploy. Joseph turned away from them and begins to weep. When he regains his composure, he speaks to them again, and choose Simeon, and has him tied up right before their eyes. Joseph orders his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain, but also gives secret instructions to return each brother’s payment at the top of his sack. The brothers are also given supplies for their journey home. Stopping for the night, one opens his sack to get grain for his donkey, he finds his money in the top of his sack. The brothers are totally freaked out and wonder what is God planning? The brothers come home to their father and tell him everything that happened to them. As they empty out their sacks, each man’s sack contains the bag of money he paid for the grain. The brothers and their father are terrified. Jacob exclaims that they are stealing his children. Joseph is gone! Simeon is gone! And now they want to take Benjamin! Reuben swears to his father, that he may kill his two sons if Benjamin is not returned. Jacob refuses. Joseph is dead, and Benjamin is the last one of his beloved Rachel. If anything should happen to Benjamin on such a journey, the grief would kill him. (One may ask, exactly what is Joseph doing? Is he getting even? Perhaps... It may also be that he is seeing if his brothers are indeed repentant and are changed honest men and not evil. Perhaps Joseph also wishes to see if his little brother is being treated better than he was by his brothers. It is interesting to see that the brothers quickly equate that there is a relationship between their sin of long ago and what is then happening to them. This is something I see as foreign today. People don't seem to see that actions have consequences --- even years later...)

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Jacob seeth that there is corn in Egypt, and Jacob saith to his sons, `Why do you look at each other?'

2 he saith also, `Lo, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt, go down thither, and buy for us from thence, and we live and do not die;'

3 and the ten brethren of Joseph go down to buy corn in Egypt,

4 and Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob hath not sent with his brethren, for he said, `Lest mischief meet him.'

5 And the sons of Israel come to buy in the midst of those coming, for the famine hath been in the land of Canaan,

6 and Joseph is the ruler over the land, he who is selling to all the people of the land, and Joseph's brethren come and bow themselves to him -- face to the earth.

7 And Joseph seeth his brethren, and discerneth them, and maketh himself strange unto them, and speaketh with them sharp things, and saith unto them, `From whence have ye come?' and they say, `From the land of Canaan -- to buy food.'

8 And Joseph discerneth his brethren, but they have not discerned him,

9 and Joseph remembereth the dreams which he dreamed of them, and saith unto them, `Ye [are] spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye have come.'

10 And they say unto him, `No, my lord, but thy servants have come to buy food;

11 we [are] all of us sons of one man, we [are] right men; thy servants have not been spies;'

12 and he saith unto them, `No, but the nakedness of the land ye have come to see;'

13 and they say, `Thy servants [are] twelve brethren; we [are] sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and lo, the young one [is] with our father to-day, and the one is not.'

14 And Joseph saith unto them, `This [is] that which I have spoken unto you, saying, Ye [are] spies,

15 by this ye are proved: Pharaoh liveth! if ye go out from this -- except by your young brother coming hither;

16 send one of you, and let him bring your brother, and ye, remain ye bound, and let your words be proved, whether truth be with you: and if not -- Pharaoh liveth! surely ye [are] spies;'

17 and he removeth them unto charge three days.

18 And Joseph saith unto them on the third day, `This do and live; God I fear!

19 if ye [are] right men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your ward, and ye, go, carry in corn [for] the famine of your houses,

20 and your young brother ye bring unto me, and your words are established, and ye die not;' and they do so.

21 And they say one unto another, `Verily we [are] guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul, in his making supplication unto us, and we did not hearken: therefore hath this distress come upon us.'

22 And Reuben answereth them, saying, `Spake I not unto you, saying, Sin not against the lad? and ye hearkened not; and his blood also, lo, it is required.'

23 And they have not known that Joseph understandeth, for the interpreter [is] between them;

24 and he turneth round from them, and weepeth, and turneth back unto them, and speaketh unto them, and taketh from them Simeon, and bindeth him before their eyes.

25 And Joseph commandeth, and they fill their vessels [with] corn, also to put back the money of each unto his sack, and to give to them provision for the way; and one doth to them so.

26 And they lift up their corn upon their asses, and go from thence,

27 and the one openeth his sack to give provender to his ass at a lodging-place, and he seeth his money, and lo, it [is] in the mouth of his bag,

28 and he saith unto his brethren, `My money hath been put back, and also, lo, in my bag:' and their heart goeth out, and they tremble, one to another saying, `What [is] this God hath done to us!'

29 And they come in unto Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and they declare to him all the things meeting them, saying,

30 `The man, the lord of the land, hath spoken with us sharp things, and maketh us as spies of the land;

31 and we say unto him, We [are] right men, we have not been spies,

32 we [are] twelve brethren, sons of our father, the one is not, and the young one [is] to-day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 `And the man, the lord of the land, saith unto us, By this I know that ye [are] right men -- one of your brethren leave with me, and [for] the famine of your houses take ye and go,

34 and bring your young brother unto me, and I know that ye [are] not spies, but ye [are] right men; your brother I give to you, and ye trade with the land.'

35 And it cometh to pass, they are emptying their sacks, and lo, the bundle of each man's silver [is] in his sack, and they see their bundles of silver, they and their father, and are afraid;

36 and Jacob their father saith unto them, `Me ye have bereaved; Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin ye take -- against me have been all these.'

37 And Reuben speaketh unto his father, saying, `My two sons thou dost put to death, if I bring him not in unto thee; give him into my hand, and I -- I bring him back unto thee;'

38 and he saith, `My son doth not go down with you, for his brother [is] dead, and he by himself is left; when mischief hath met him in the way in which ye go, then ye have brought down my grey hairs in sorrow to sheol.'

[_Drifting]

Living according to God's Word will produce an individual of good character --- tangible results that make sense...

Which Gods will?
Your interpretation? Mine? The JW's? Warren Jeffs?

Hitler thought he had God on his side, Warren Jeffs thinks he does too.
Are these people of good character?

Joseph Smith claimed to follow Gods will to the letter, was he of good character?

The people that flew planes into the trade centre believed that was Gods will....good character...or perhaps not?

[_LittleNipper]

Living according to God's Word will produce an individual of good character --- tangible results that make sense...

Which Gods will?
Your interpretation? Mine? The JW's? Warren Jeffs?

Hitler thought he had God on his side, Warren Jeffs thinks he does too.
Are these people of good character?

Joseph Smith claimed to follow Gods will to the letter, was he of good character?

The people that flew planes into the trade centre believed that was Gods will....good character...or perhaps not?

How did Hitler die and why? How did Jim Jones die and why? The men that flew into the World Trade Center did exactly what? I can only tell you that the Bible is thousands of years old. This book has moved more people to do more outstanding things and yet this book must be accepted in full and not in part. People who accept only parts believe that details are missing, values are missing, secret hidden messages abound which only they know and understand... Such people assume the roles of self appointed prophets, gods, father --- people who do not study the Word are at the mercy of those who say they know what the Bible actually says. Read the Bible, again and again and again. Understand the Bible in light of ALL its parts. Do not trust others to lead or direct you! Trust only the Word and lean on God for understanding. There is but one GOD and HE does not change.

[_LittleNipper]

Genesis 43:1-34 The famine continued to ravage Canaan. The grain they had brought from Egypt was almost gone. Jacob tells his sons, to go back and buy a little more food. Judah says that the man was serious when he warned to bring Benjamin back. If the brothers can take Benjamin with them, they will go down and buy more food. If not, they won’t go either. Jacob moans that they should not have said anything about having a younger brother. The man kept asking questions about the family they replied. He wanted to know if the father was still alive, and if there was another brother. They simply answered his questions. They had no idea the Egyptian would say to bring back the brother. Judah tells his father to let him take Bejamin or they we will all die of starvation—including the little ones. Judah will personally guarantee his safety and be responsible. He will forever bear any blame. The general consensus is that they could have made the trip to Egypt twice for all the time wasted. Jacob, finally consents but insistes they take the man gifts of balm, honey, gum, aromatic resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds. Also, they are to take back the money that was put in the sacks, as it was probably done in error. Jacob calls on Almighty God to provide mercy as the brothers go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return, the Lord willing. The brothers leave and finally arrived in Egypt and present themselves to Joseph. When Joseph sees Benjamin with them, he tells to the manager of his household, that these men will eat with him at noon. Bring them inside the palace. Slaughter an animal, and prepare a big feast. The brothers are sick when they realize that they were being taken into Joseph’s house. They believe that it has to be because of the money they were sent home with --- they think that they have been set up with stealing and will be made slaves, and their transportation s will be sezed. The brothers approach the manager of Joseph’s household and speak to him at the entrance to the palace. They say they came to Egypt once before to buy food. But on the trip home their payment had been returned to them. They even brought it back. The house manager tells them that their God must have returned it to them. Simeon is brought out to them. The manager then leads the men into Joseph’s palace. Water is provided for the brothers to wash their feet. Their donkeys are fed. They are told they will be eating there, so they prepare their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon. When Joseph comes home, they gave him the gifts they have brought and bowed low before him. Joseph asks how their father is..? Joseph sees his full brother Benjamin and asks if this is the younger brother. Joseph, overcome with emotion for his brother, goes to his private room and weeps. Upon cleaning himself up and regaining his composure he comes back out. Then he orders the call for food. The waiters served Joseph at his own table, and his brothers were served at a separate table. Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them. Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seats them according to age, from oldest to youngest. Joseph then fills their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he give the others. So they dine and drink freely with him.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And the famine [is] severe in the land;

2 and it cometh to pass, when they have finished eating the corn which they brought from Egypt, that their father saith unto them, `Turn back, buy for us a little food.'

3 And Judah speaketh unto him, saying, `The man protesting protested to us, saying, Ye do not see my face without your brother [being] with you;

4 if thou art sending our brother with us, we go down, and buy for thee food,

5 and if thou art not sending -- we do not go down, for the man said unto us, Ye do not see my face without your brother [being] with you.'

6 And Israel saith, `Why did ye evil to me, by declaring to the man that ye had yet a brother?'

7 and they say, `The man asked diligently concerning us, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye a brother? and we declare to him according to the tenor of these things; do we certainly know that he will say, Bring down your brother?'

8 And Judah saith unto Israel his father, `Send the youth with me, and we arise, and go, and live, and do not die, both we, and thou, and our infants.

9 I -- I am surety [for] him, from my hand thou dost require him; if I have not brought him in unto thee, and set him before thee -- then I have sinned against thee all the days;

10 for if we had not lingered, surely now we had returned these two times.'

11 And Israel their father saith unto them, `If so, now, this do: take of the praised thing of the land in your vessels, and take down to the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds;

12 and double money take in your hand, even the money which is brought back in the mouth of your bags, ye take back in your hand, it may be it [is] an oversight.

13 `And take your brother, and rise, turn back unto the man;

14 and God Almighty give to you mercies before the man, so that he hath sent to you your other brother and Benjamin; and I, when I am bereaved -- I am bereaved.'

15 And the men take this present, double money also they have taken in their hand, and Benjamin; and they rise, and go down to Egypt, and stand before Joseph;

16 and Joseph seeth Benjamin with them, and saith to him who [is] over his house, `Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal, and make ready, for with me do the men eat at noon.'

17 And the man doth as Joseph hath said, and the man bringeth in the men into the house of Joseph,

18 and the men are afraid because they have been brought into the house of Joseph, and they say, `For the matter of the money which was put back in our bags at the commencement are we brought in -- to roll himself upon us, and to throw himself on us, and to take us for servants -- our asses also.'

19 And they come nigh unto the man who [is] over the house of Joseph, and speak unto him at the opening of the house,

20 and say, `O, my lord, we really come down at the commencement to buy food;

21 and it cometh to pass, when we have come in unto the lodging-place, and open our bags, that lo, each one's money [is] in the mouth of his bag, our money in its weight, and we bring it back in our hand;

22 and other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food; we have not known who put our money in our bags.'

23 And he saith, `Peace to you, fear not: your God and the God of your father hath given to you hidden treasure in your bags, your money came unto me;' and he bringeth out Simeon unto them.

24 And the man bringeth in the men into Joseph's house, and giveth water, and they wash their feet; and he giveth provender for their asses,

25 and they prepare the present until the coming of Joseph at noon, for they have heard that there they do eat bread.

26 And Joseph cometh into the house, and they bring to him the present which [is] in their hand, into the house, and bow themselves to him, to the earth;

27 and he asketh of them of peace, and saith, `Is your father well? the aged man of whom ye have spoken, is he yet alive?'

28 and they say, `Thy servant our father [is] well, he is yet alive;' and they bow, and do obeisance.

29 And he lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and saith, `Is this your young brother, of whom ye have spoken unto me?' and he saith, `God favour thee, my son.'

30 And Joseph hasteth, for his bowels have been moved for his brother, and he seeketh to weep, and entereth the inner chamber, and weepeth there;

31 and he washeth his face, and goeth out, and refraineth himself, and saith, `Place bread.'

32 And they place for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who are eating with him by themselves: for the Egyptians are unable to eat bread with the Hebrews, for it [is] an abomination to the Egyptians.

33 And they sit before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the young one according to his youth, and the men wonder one at another;

34 and he lifteth up gifts from before him unto them, and the gift of Benjamin is five hands more than the gifts of all of them; and they drink, yea, they drink abundantly with him.

[_LittleNipper]

Genesis 44:1-34 Joseph then tells the head man in charge of his house to fill each man's bag with as much food as each can carry. And return each man’s money in his bag. Joseph's silver cup is to be placed the bag of the youngest, along with his money for the grain. Early in the morning the men are sent away with their donkeys. They had left the city but were not far away. Joseph now tells the head man to follow the men. When the man reaches the brothers, he is to ask why they have returned bad for good and stolen the leader's the silver cup, which is used for telling the future? When the brothers get this message they are dumbfounded. They deny everything, and remind the head man about trying to return the money. The brothers say that if the cup is found, the one who has it can be executed and the rest will become servants. The head man says the one who has the cup will become a servant and the rest are free to leave. Each man puts his bag down on the ground quickly and opens it. The head man begins with the oldest and to the youngest. Of course the cup is found in Benjamin’s bag. The brothers rip their clothes, and return to the city. Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house while he is still there. They fall to the ground in front of him. Joseph gives the brothers a real fright. And tells them he has power to know what happens. Judah is apologetic and suggests all the brothers should remain as servants to make things right. But Joseph says only the person found with the cup will be his servant --- the others may go peacefully back home. Judah comes near to Joseph to speak privately to him. He reminds Joseph of everything that had transpired and how the younger brother ended up there. Their father, Jacob, with great hesitancy had allowed his youngest son to leave, only so that they might be allowed buy more food. Jacob's wife Rachel gave birth to two sons. One, Jacab believes was torn to pieces. If something happens to the youngest son, Jacob will die in sorrow. Judah had placed myself as trust for the boy to his father. So Judah asks to stay and work for Joseph instead of Benjamin, not wishing to live to see his dad tormented. Judah asks that the boy be allowed go home with his brothers.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 And he commandeth him who [is] over his house, saying, `Fill the bags of the men [with] food, as they are able to bear, and put the money of each in the mouth of his bag;

2 and my cup, the silver cup, thou dost put in the mouth of the bag of the young one, and his corn-money;' and he doth according to the word of Joseph which he hath spoken.

3 The morning is bright, and the men have been sent away, they and their asses --

4 they have gone out of the city -- they have not gone far off -- and Joseph hath said to him who [is] over his house, `Rise, pursue after the men; and thou hast overtaken them, and thou hast said unto them, Why have ye recompensed evil for good?

5 Is not this that with which my lord drinketh? and he observeth diligently with it; ye have done evil [in] that which ye have done.'

6 And he overtaketh them, and speaketh unto them these words,

7 and they say unto him, `Why doth my lord speak according to these words? far be it from thy servants to do according to this word;

8 lo, the money which we found in the mouth of our bags we brought back unto thee from the land of Canaan, and how do we steal from the house of thy lord silver or gold?

9 with whomsoever of thy servants it is found, he hath died, and we also are to my lord for servants.'

10 And he saith, `Now, also, according to your words, so it [is]; he with whom it is found becometh my servant, and ye are acquitted;'

11 and they hasten and take down each his bag to the earth, and each openeth his bag;

12 and he searcheth -- at the eldest he hath begun, and at the youngest he hath completed -- and the cup is found in the bag of Benjamin;

13 and they rend their garments, and each ladeth his ass, and they turn back to the city.

14 And Judah -- his brethren also -- cometh in unto the house of Joseph, and he is yet there, and they fall before him to the earth;

15 and Joseph saith to them, `What [is] this deed that ye have done? have ye not known that a man like me doth diligently observe?'

16 And Judah saith, `What do we say to my lord? what do we speak? and what -- do we justify ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; lo, we [are] servants to my lord, both we, and he in whose hand the cup hath been found;'

17 and he saith, `Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup hath been found, he becometh my servant; and ye, go ye up in peace unto your father.'

18 And Judah cometh nigh unto him, and saith, `O, my lord, let thy servant speak, I pray thee, a word in the ears of my lord, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant -- for thou art as Pharaoh.

19 My lord hath asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father or brother?

20 and we say unto my lord, We have a father, an aged one, and a child of old age, a little one; and his brother died, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father hath loved him.

21 `And thou sayest unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, and I set mine eye upon him;

22 and we say unto my lord, The youth is not able to leave his father, when he hath left his father, then he hath died;

23 and thou sayest unto thy servants, If your young brother come not down with you, ye add not to see my face.

24 `And it cometh to pass, that we have come up unto thy servant my father, that we declare to him the words of my lord;

25 and our father saith, Turn back, buy for us a little food,

26 and we say, We are not able to go down; if our young brother is with us, then we have gone down; for we are not able to see the man's face, and our young brother not with us.

27 `And thy servant my father saith unto us, Ye -- ye have known that two did my wife bare to me,

28 and the one goeth out from me, and I say, Surely he is torn -- torn! and I have not seen him since;

29 when ye have taken also this from my presence, and mischief hath met him, then ye have brought down my grey hairs with evil to sheol.

30 `And now, at my coming in unto thy servant my father, and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up in his soul),

31 then it hath come to pass when he seeth that the youth is not, that he hath died, and thy servants have brought down the grey hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to sheol;

32 for thy servant obtained the youth by surety from my father, saying, If I bring him not in unto thee -- then I have sinned against my father all the days.

33 `And now, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the youth a servant to my lord, and the youth goeth up with his brethren,

34 for how do I go up unto my father, and the youth not with me? lest I look on the evil which doth find my father.'

[_gdemetz]

Nipper, when you wrote the "Bible Verse by Verse," you really meant it, didn't you?!

[_LittleNipper]

Nipper, when you wrote the "Bible Verse by Verse," you really meant it, didn't you?!

Yes, that is the general idea. If anyone has a question about anything, please ask...

[Guest]

Nipper, when you wrote the "Bible Verse by Verse," you really meant it, didn't you?!

Yes, that is the general idea. If anyone has a question about anything, please ask...

Why has it taken 16 pages for gdemetz to figure this out?

[Guest]

Gemesis 45:1-28
Finally,Joseph can stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he tells his attendants, to get out. Joseph is finally alone with his brothers when he tells them who he is. Then he breaks down and weeps. He cries so loudly the Egyptians can hear him, and word of it quickly travels to Pharaoh’s palace. Joseph asks his brothers if his dad is still living. His brothers were totally speechless! They were shocked to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. Joseph tells them to come closer. He tells them again that he is indeed Joseph, their brother, that they sold into slavery. Joseph tells his brothers not to be upset or angry with themselves for selling him. God sent Joseph there ahead to preserve their lives. The famine has ravaged the land for two years and will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God used Joseph there to preserve many survivors. And God made Joseph an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. Joesph tells his brothers to hurry back to the father and tell him God has made Joseph master over all the land of Egypt -- come down immediately! Joseph says they can live in the region of Goshen, near Joseph with all their children and grandchildren, their flocks and herds, and everything they own. Joseph will take care of them there. Otherwise they will starve because of the 5 years of famine left. Then Joseph adds again that he is really Joseph and to convince Jacob of what they have seen and Joseph's position here in Egypt. Weeping with joy, he embraces Benjamin, and Benjamin does the same. Joseph kisses each of his brothers and weeps over them, and finally they all start talking together. The news soon reaches Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers have arrived and Pharaoh and his officials are delighted to hear this. Pharaoh tells Joseph to tell his brothers to load their pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan. They are to get their father and all of their families, and return. He will give them the very best land in Egypt, and they will eat from the best that the land produces. Pharaoh says to Joseph that the brothers are to take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry the little children, the wives, and the father back to Egypt in comfort. They are not to worry about personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is theirs. So, the sons of Jacob do as they are told. Joseph provides them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gives them supplies for the journey. He gives each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he provided five changes of clothes and 300 pieces of silver. Joseph also sends his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies needed for his journey. So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he tells them to not fight among themselves. And they left Egypt and return to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan. They tell him he is governor of all the land of Egypt! Jacob is stunned at the news—he cannot believe it. But when they repeat to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he sees the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits are lifted, and he cannot wait to see Joseph.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Joseph hath not been able to refrain himself before all those standing by him, and he calleth, `Put out every man from me;' and no man hath stood with him when Joseph maketh himself known unto his brethren,

2 and he giveth forth his voice in weeping, and the Egyptians hear, and the house of Pharaoh heareth.

3 And Joseph saith unto his brethren, `I [am] Joseph, is my father yet alive?' and his brethren have not been able to answer him, for they have been troubled at his presence.

4 And Joseph saith unto his brethren, `Come nigh unto me, I pray you,' and they come nigh; and he saith, `I [am] Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt;

5 and now, be not grieved, nor let it be displeasing in your eyes that ye sold me hither, for to preserve life hath God sent me before you.

6 `Because these two years the famine [is] in the heart of the land, and yet [are] five years, [in] which there is neither ploughing nor harvest;

7 and God sendeth me before you, to place of you a remnant in the land, and to give life to you by a great escape;

8 and now, ye -- ye have not sent me hither, but God, and He doth set me for a father to Pharaoh, and for lord to all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

9 `Haste, and go up unto my father, then ye have said to him, Thus said Joseph thy son, God hath set me for lord to all Egypt; come down unto me, stay not,

10 and thou hast dwelt in the land of Goshen, and been near unto me, thou and thy sons, and thy son's sons, and thy flock, and thy herd, and all that thou hast,

11 and I have nourished thee there -- for yet [are] five years of famine -- lest thou become poor, thou and thy household, and all that thou hast.

12 `And lo, your eyes are seeing, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth which is speaking unto you;

13 and ye have declared to my father all my honour in Egypt, and all that ye have seen, and ye have hasted, and have brought down my father hither.'

14 And he falleth on the neck of Benjamin his brother, and weepeth, and Benjamin hath wept on his neck;

15 and he kisseth all his brethren, and weepeth over them; and afterwards have his brethren spoken with him.

16 And the sound hath been heard in the house of Pharaoh, saying, `Come have the brethren of Joseph;' and it is good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants,

17 and Pharaoh saith unto Joseph, `Say unto thy brethren, This do ye: lade your beasts, and go, enter ye the land of Canaan,

18 and take your father, and your households, and come unto me, and I give to you the good of the land of Egypt, and eat ye the fat of the land.

19 `Yea, thou -- thou hast been commanded: this do ye, take for yourselves out of the land of Egypt, waggons for your infants, and for your wives, and ye have brought your father, and come;

20 and your eye hath no pity on your vessels, for the good of all the land of Egypt [is] yours.'

21 And the sons of Israel do so, and Joseph giveth waggons to them by the command of Pharaoh, and he giveth to them provision for the way;

22 to all of them hath he given -- to each changes of garments, and to Benjamin he hath given three hundred silverlings, and five changes of garments;

23 and to his father he hath sent thus: ten asses bearing of the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses bearing corn and bread, even food for his father for the way.

24 And he sendeth his brethren away, and they go; and he saith unto them, `Be not angry in the way.'

25 And they go up out of Egypt, and come in to the land of Canaan, unto Jacob their father,

26 and they declare to him, saying, `Joseph [is] yet alive,' and that he [is] ruler over all the land of Egypt; and his heart ceaseth, for he hath not given credence to them.

27 And they speak unto him all the words of Joseph, which he hath spoken unto them, and he seeth the waggons which Joseph hath sent to bear him away, and live doth the spirit of Jacob their father;

28 and Israel saith, `Enough! Joseph my son [is] yet alive; I go and see him before I die.'

[_gdemetz]

I appreciate your offer Nipper, but based on what I have seen so far, I don't really rate some of your interpretations very highly.