BRAGADAYJAH 147

So Joseph sent his brothers home unto the Land of Canaan where they dwelt with a special message for their father; “tell him I am blessed in Egypt and that he should come down and see me. Not only that, I want him to remain in Egypt in the area called Goshen; in that way he will be nigh unto me. He will be able to dwell there with his children and his children’s children and his flocks and his herds and all that he has.” Once the whole household comes down and is settled, Joseph told them, they would be fed and nourished there for the next five years during the famine, so that the household should not perish. During all of Joseph’s discourse with his brothers, although they must by this time have come to the realization that their long lost brother was indeed yet alive, they must have continued to look upon Joseph with incredulity, as if he was some sort of ghost speaking to them; so Joseph in spite of all he had said and done in their presence, had to assure them further; “As you can see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, it is indeed I your brother Joseph who speaks to you. When you return and you speak to my father Israel, assure him that you have seen and heard me, and that I have received great honor and glory in Egypt; and as I have told you, tell him to make great haste and come on down so that I can meet with him.” Having sort to reassure his brothers he took hold of Benjamin and clinging to him kissed him with great fervor and passion, and weeping, while Benjamin for his part did the same. In addition, he hugged and kissed all his brothers, and after this they were finally convinced that Joseph was indeed who he said he was, and that he was genuinely happy to see them; and they began to speak with him freely as brothers would with one another. When the Pharaoh heard the good news that Joseph had found and was reunited with his brothers, and learnt that Joseph’s father was still alive and dwelt in the land of Canaan, he too was happy for Joseph; and he commanded the brothers to take a goodly supply of wagons and food and supplies and return home, and bring their father and the whole family to settle in the land of Egypt. More