As the falsely accused Binyamin stood before Yosef, condemned to a life of slavery, Yehuda stepped forward with a plea for mercy. He implored Yosef to release Binyamin, explaining that their father Jacob would be unable to bear the loss of his beloved son, having already suffered the loss of one in the form of Yosef himself. In the event that Yosef refused, Yehuda offered himself as a replacement for Binyamin, a selfless act that moved Yosef to tears. In that moment, Yosef could no longer contain his emotions and revealed his true identity to his brothers, overwhelmed by the love and loyalty they still held for him despite the wrongs they had done in the past.
Upon seeing the shock and regret of his brothers, Yosef reassured them that everything that had happened was part of a divine plan to save their lives, as there were still five years of famine to come. He instructed them to return to Canaan and bring their father and their families to Egypt, where he would provide for all their needs until the famine had passed. The brothers embraced and wept with joy at their reunion, and Yosef sent them on their way with his blessing.
Upon hearing of the arrival of Yosef’s family, Pharaoh extended an invitation for them to come to Egypt and settle in the best parts of the land. When Jacob and his family arrived in Israel, they were met with the news that Yosef was alive and ruling in Egypt. The news brought new life to Jacob, who had grieved for many years at the thought of losing his son. At the direction of God, Jacob and his family set out for Egypt, stopping at Beer-Sheba along the way. There, God reassured Jacob that he would become a great nation in Egypt and that he would eventually be brought back to Israel. The Torah records that there were seventy members of Jacob’s family in total who made the journey to Egypt.
Upon arriving in Egypt, Jacob and his family settled in Goshen, where Yosef went to greet them. He prepared them to meet with Pharaoh and instructed his brothers to present themselves as shepherds. Pharaoh warmly welcomed Yosef’s brothers and was amazed to see the advanced age of Jacob, who blessed him in return. Yosef made sure that his family wanted for nothing, providing for all their needs in the land of Goshen.
As the people of Egypt struggled to survive the famine, they were forced to sell their possessions and even themselves into slavery in exchange for food. Meanwhile, Jacob and his family flourished and multiplied in the land of Goshen, blessed with the provisions of Yosef.
