Génesis 45:3

3 José dijo a sus hermanos: Yo soy José. ¿Vive todavía mi padre? Pero sus hermanos no podían contestarle porque estaban atónitos delante de él.

Génesis 45:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 45:3

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I [am] Joseph
As soon as he could compose himself a little, and utter his words, the first thing he said was, that he was Joseph; that was his right name, his Hebrew name; though he was called by the Egyptians Zaphnathpaaneah, and by which name Joseph's brethren only knew him, if they knew his name at all; and it must be very startling to them to bear this sound, and to be told by himself that that was his name; and which was not all he meant and they understood, but that he was Joseph their brother as afterwards expressed: doth my father yet live?
this he knew before, for they had told him he was alive; wherefore he puts this question not through ignorance, or as doubting but to express his affliction for his father, and his joy that he was alive: and his brethren could not answer him;
they were so surprised and astonished; they were like men thunderstruck, they were not able to utter a word for awhile: for they were troubled at his presence;
the sin of selling him came fresh into their minds, the guilt of it pressed their consciences, and the circumstances that Joseph was in filled them with fear that he would avenge himself on them.

Génesis 45:3 In-Context

1 José no pudo ya contenerse delante de todos los que estaban junto a él, y exclamó: Haced salir a todos de mi lado. Y no había nadie con él cuando José se dio a conocer a sus hermanos.

2 Y lloró tan fuerte que lo oyeron los egipcios, y la casa de Faraón se enteró de ello.

3 José dijo a sus hermanos: Yo soy José. ¿Vive todavía mi padre? Pero sus hermanos no podían contestarle porque estaban atónitos delante de él.

4 Y José dijo a sus hermanos: Acercaos ahora a mí. Y ellos se acercaron, y él dijo: Yo soy vuestro hermano José, a quien vosotros vendisteis a Egipto.

5 Ahora pues, no os entristezcáis ni os pese por haberme vendido aquí; pues para preservar vidas me envió Dios delante de vosotros.