JOSEPH FORGIVES HIS BROTHERS
Genesis CHAPTER 42 Jacob sends his sons to buy grain in Egypt—They bow before Joseph—He makes harsh accusations against them, imprisons Simeon, and sends them back for Benjamin.
Genesis CHAPTER 43 Jacob is persuaded to send Benjamin to Egypt—Joseph’s brothers show respect to him—They all eat and drink together.
Genesis CHAPTER 44 Joseph arranges to stop the return of his brothers to Canaan—Judah offers himself in place of Benjamin for their father’s sake.
Genesis CHAPTER 45 Joseph makes himself known to his brothers—They rejoice together—Pharaoh invites Jacob and his family to dwell in Egypt and eat the fat of the land.
I can show love and forgiveness to my family.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026 & Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 42–50” & Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 42–50”
It might be fun for your children to reenact the story of Joseph reuniting his family (see Genesis 42–44). Have fun with it—use costumes and props if you’d like. Encourage children to try to understand the emotions and perspectives of the characters.
Or they could use “Joseph and the Famine” (in Old Testament Stories, 57–60) or pictures in this outline to teach the story to each other. As they do, ask them how they think Joseph might have felt to see his brothers again or how the brothers might have felt when they finally recognized Joseph.
Old Testament Stories “Joseph and the Famine” Illustrations
Here are some questions that could help your children learn from the story:
- What did Joseph do to show love for his family? (see Genesis 45:4–15).
- Why do you feel Joseph forgave his brothers?
- How do you think Joseph’s brothers felt when they found out Joseph had forgiven them? Who in your life needs to be forgiven? How can you show love and forgiveness?
What did Joseph do or say to let his brothers know he forgave them? What can we say or do when others ask us to forgive them? You or your children may want to share an experience when they forgave someone or when someone forgave them. How did they feel? (To give them time to think, share an experience of your own, and testify of the blessings that came from forgiveness.)What do we learn about forgiveness from the Savior’s example? (see Luke 23:33–34).
Friend August 2021 “Not Invited” Becky isn’t invited to her friend’s birthday party. She feels really left out and sad. She prays to be able to forgive her friend and is able to play together the next day. When Becky has her birthday party she invites her.
Friend May 2020 “Sister Squabble” Jaide’s little sister borrowed her tennis shoes without asking and accidentally got them muddy. Jaide was so mad that she told her sister, “I wish you weren’t my sister.” She felt terrible about what she said. She read a scripture about Jesus forgiving and healing someone and she realized, she needed to forgive and try and fix what she had done to her sister with her words.
Joseph’s brothers had done terrible things to him. Yet Joseph forgave them and brought peace to his family.
Gospel Art Picture: “Joseph Greets His Brothers in Egypt”
- You could then sing a song such as “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook, 136) or “Help Me, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 99). (When you sing about forgiving in “Help Me, Dear Father”, invite the children to point to Joseph on the activity page. When you sing about repenting, invite them to point to his brothers.)
For Additional Teaching Ideas see Teaching Children the Gospel “Forgiveness” and Resources for Teaching Children “Forgiveness”
Heavenly Father Sent Jesus Christ to Save Me.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026 & Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 42–50”
- How can you help your children see the Savior in the story of Joseph saving his family from famine? Consider making a chart with two columns labeled Joseph and Jesus Christ. Help your children search the following pairs of scriptures and fill in the chart with things that Joseph and Jesus have in common: Genesis 37:3 and Matthew 3:17; Genesis 37:26–28 and Matthew 26:14–16; Genesis 45:5–7 and Luke 4:18; and Genesis 47:12 and John 6:35.
Ask your children what it means to save or rescue someone. If any of them have had an experience being saved or rescued from danger, invite them to share. How did Joseph save his brothers? (see Genesis 42:1–3; 45:5–7). Then you could look at a picture of the Savior together and ask your children to talk about how Jesus saves us.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020: 2 Nephi 6-10 Tell the children a story of a person who fell into a pit so deep that he or she could not climb out. A man came along and lifted this person out of the pit. You may want to draw a picture of this story on the board or act it out with the children. Explain that this pit is like death and the man who helped the person is like Jesus Christ, who saved all people from death by giving us the gift of resurrection. Tell the children that this same person fell into another pit. This time the rescuer gave the person a ladder to use in climbing out of the pit. Explain that this pit is like sin and the ladder is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which allows us to repent and be forgiven of our sins. Read 2 Nephi 9:22–23, and bear your testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 42–50” The story of Joseph saving his family from famine can teach us about Jesus Christ, who saves us from sin and death.
For additional teaching ideas see Jesus Christ: Lesson Ideas
JACOB GOES TO EGYPT
Genesis CHAPTER 46 The Lord sends Jacob and his family of seventy souls to Egypt—The descendants of Jacob are named—Joseph meets Jacob.
Genesis CHAPTER 47 The Israelites settle in Goshen—Jacob blesses Pharaoh—Joseph sells grain to the Egyptians—Pharaoh receives the Egyptians’ cattle and lands—Jacob desires to be buried with his fathers in Canaan.
JACOB BLESSES HIS CHILDREN
Genesis CHAPTER 48 Jacob tells of the appearance of God to him in Luz—He adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as his own children—Jacob blesses Joseph—He puts Ephraim before Manasseh—The seed of Ephraim will become a multitude of nations—The children of Israel will come again into the land of their fathers.
Genesis Chapter 49 Jacob blesses his sons and their seed—Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are chastened—Judah will rule until Shiloh (Christ) comes—Joseph is a fruitful bough by a well—His branches (the Nephites and Lamanites) will run over the wall—The Shepherd and Stone of Israel (Christ) will bless Joseph temporally and spiritually—Jacob chooses to be buried with his fathers in Canaan—He yields up the ghost and is gathered to his people.
The Lord helps me through priesthood blessings.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026 & Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 42–50”
- You and your children could look at the picture of Jacob blessing his sons at the end of this outline and discuss what is happening (see Genesis 48:8–9). If needed, explain that Jacob, Joseph’s father, wanted to give priesthood blessings to his family. Perhaps you could share with each other any experiences you’ve had receiving help from God through a priesthood blessing. What are some reasons we might ask for a priesthood blessing?
- Read to the children Genesis 48:8–9. Explain that Israel, also called Jacob, was Joseph’s father and that he wanted to give Joseph’s children a priesthood blessing. If any of the children have received a priesthood blessing, invite them to tell about their experience. Or share an experience of your own.
Friend February 2016 “You are Special” Emma gets a father’s blessing.
Jacob blessed his sons and grandsons (see Genesis 48–49). Today we can receive priesthood blessings that give us comfort, healing, guidance, and spiritual strength.
Friend September 2025 “Gospel Basics: Teach Me about Priesthood Blessings”
- Help the children think of reasons they might ask for a priesthood blessing. Also help them name priesthood holders they could ask, such as a father, grandfather, or ministering brother.
JOSPEPH’S PROPHECIES
Genesis CHAPTER 50 Jacob’s body is embalmed—Joseph buries him in Canaan—Joseph comforts his brothers—The children of Israel multiply—Joseph promises that God will bring Israel out of Egypt into Canaan—Joseph dies in Egypt and is embalmed.
Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 50:27–33 (in the Bible appendix)Joseph in Egypt prophesies of Moses freeing Israel from Egyptian bondage; of a branch of Joseph’s descendants being led to a faraway land, where they will be remembered in the covenants of the Lord; of God calling a latter-day prophet named Joseph to join the records of Judah and of Joseph; and of Aaron serving as a spokesman for Moses.
Heavenly Father Prepared Joseph Smith to be a Prophet in Our Day.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 42–50” Thousands of years in advance, Joseph of Egypt saw that the Lord would call Joseph Smith to do a great work in the latter days. Teach the children how the Lord has blessed us through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
- Give the children descriptive clues about Joseph Smith, and invite them to guess who you are describing. Include clues from Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 50:27–33 (in the Bible appendix), such as “he taught us about covenants” (see verse 28), “he gave us the word of the Lord” (see verse 30), and “he was named after his father” (see verse 33). After the children guess correctly, invite them to find these clues in the verses. What else do we learn about Joseph Smith from the prophecy of Joseph in Egypt?
Liahona February 2020 “Meet the Four Josephs” Lehi tells his son Joseph about some of the prophecies that Joseph of Egypt made about Joseph Smith, who was named after his father, Joseph. The article includes the following: What Did Joseph of Egypt Say about Joseph Smith? How Was Joseph Smith Like Joseph of Egypt? How Did Lehi Know about Joseph of Egypt?
- Show the children pictures that represent important things Joseph Smith did or taught (see, for example, Gospel Art Book, nos. 89–95, 97, 98, 117, 118). Help the children think of blessings we have because of Joseph Smith. For example, how has his work helped us come closer to Jesus Christ?
Additional Resources
For additional lesson resources see Old Testament Stories & Lesson Ideas & Old Testament: Activities & Games.
Lesson 17: Joseph Forgives His Brothers,” Primary 6: Old Testament Pages 86–89
Scripture Helps “Genesis 42-50”
Old Testament Student Manual Genesis-2 Samuel “Genesis 37-50”
Come Follow Me Kid Lesson ideas
The Red Crystal Lesson ideas
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