And his heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: and Israel said, "It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die."
And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to show the way before him unto Goshen; and they came unto the land of Goshen. And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen. And he presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
And Israel said unto Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, that thou art yet alive."
And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, "How many are the days of the years of thy life?"
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage."
And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land.
THE MEANING OF THE STORY
73. This a rather long chapter, but it is so full of interest that it would not be well to divide it. Recall the last chapter and tell what was the condition in Egypt and what was Joseph's position.
74 (§25A). We turn back in our story to what persons? What was happening to them? What was this journey, who went, why did they go, who remained behind? Compare this with Abraham's journey (§4).
75 (§25B). How did Joseph feel when he saw his brothers after so many years? How did he recognize them, while they did not know him? Notice how roughly he treats them. He is going to see whether they care for the youngest brother Benjamin. How does he do this? We saw in the life of Jacob how an old sin comes back. So it is here, as the brothers realize. How does the interview end?