After the burial of Jacob fear again filled the hearts of Joseph's brothers. Notwithstanding his kindness toward them, conscious guilt made them distrustful and suspicious. It might be that he had but delayed his revenge, out of regard to their father, and that he would now visit upon them the long-deferred punishment for their crime. They dared not appear before him in person, but sent a message: "Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father." This message affected Joseph to tears, and, encouraged by this, his brothers came and fell down before him, with the words, "Behold, we be thy servants." Joseph's love for his brothers was deep and unselfish, and he was pained at the thought that they could regard him as cherishing a spirit of revenge toward them. "Fear not," he said; "for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones."

Josef tog fem af sine brødre med sig og forestillede dem for Farao, for at de af ham skulle modtage den jord, der skulle være deres fremtidige hjem. Af taknemmelighed mod førsteministeren ville Farao have beæret dem ved at udnævne dem til embedsmænd, men Josef, der var tro mod tilbedelsen af Gud, prøvede at skåne sine brødre for de fristelser, de ville være udsat for ved et hedensk hof. Derfor rådede han dem til åbent at fortælle, hvad deres beskæftigelse var, når kongen spurgte om det. Jakobs sønner fulgte dette råd og tilføjede omhyggeligt, at de var kommet for at opholde sig i landet for en tid, ikke for at tage fast bopæl. På denne måde sikrede de sig ret til at rejse, hvis de ville. Kongen lod dem bosætte sig i "den bedste del af landet" i Gosens land.