22 years after Yosef, they faced the prospect of their father Yaakov ‘losing’ another one of his sons, Binyamin. Yehuda approached Yosef, recounting Yosef’s demand to see Binyamin and Yaakov’s reluctance to let Binyamin leave. Having already ‘lost’ Rachel’s other son (Yosef), Yaakov did not want disaster to befall Binyamin.
Yehuda stated that if they return without Binyamin, Yaakov will surely die. Yehuda offered to take Binyamin’s place. Yosef then ordered everyone apart from his brothers out of the room. He revealed his identity and asked if his father is still alive. He told his ashamed brothers not to be sad; God had sent him on this mission in order to sustain them during the famine.
Yosef told the brothers to go back to Cana’an to relate to Yaakov that he was alive and the viceroy of Egypt. Yaakov should come immediately to Egypt; Yosef would ensure their safety and sustenance in the remaining five years of famine. Yosef and Binyamin cried on one another’s necks.
Pharaoh instructed Yosef to give his brothers wagons. Yosef sent them back with money and provisions and 20 laden donkeys for Yaakov. The brothers returned home and told Yaakov that Yosef was alive and ruling over the land of Egypt. Initially, Yaakov does not believe them.
Yaakov travelled to Egypt, stopping at Beersheva to bring an offering. God appeared to Yaakov in a night vision, allaying his fears of leaving Cana’an to go to Egypt, and promising to make his progeny into a great nation. The Torah listed the 70 members of Yaakov’s household who came to Egypt.
Yosef and Yaakov met in the region of Goshen. Yosef fell on Yaakov’s neck and cried. Along with five of his brothers, Yosef went to inform Pharaoh of his family’s arrival and told him they were sheep and cattle farmers. Pharaoh granted them the right to live in Goshen. Yosef brought Yaakov to meet Pharaoh.
Despite the famine in Egypt, Yosef made sure that his family had food. The starving Egyptians gave Yosef their animals in return for bread. The following year, they sold their land to Pharaoh in return for food and seed. They became serfs to Pharaoh, and were to give him one fifth of all produce from that land. Yosef fixed this as a national statute. Yaakov’s family increased greatly.