Levi: Thy servant, our father [all bow heads], is in good health; he is yet alive.
[Joseph turns away and begins to weep; he leaves them abruptly and walks to the other side of the room.]
Joseph [to the servants]: Cause every man to go out from me! [All begin to leave the room, brothers included.] [To the brothers. He walks quickly after them and holds his arms out toward them.] Stay! I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? Come near to me, I pray you. [They come somewhat nearer and fall to the ground.] I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now, therefore, be not grieved nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me thither, for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land; and yet there are five years more. God hath sent me before you to save your lives. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, "Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt. Come down unto me, and tarry not. And thou shalt be near unto me, thou and thy children, and thy flocks, and thy herds and all thou hast. Oh, do you not see that I am Joseph that speak unto you?" [He weeps again and turns away.]
Fig. 1.—Pharaoh's court
Brothers: Joseph, our brother Joseph! Can he forgive us?
[Pharaoh enters here]