Genesis 45:4

4 Er aber sprach zu seinen Brüdern: Tretet doch her zu mir! Und sie traten herzu. Und er sprach: Ich bin Joseph euer Bruder, den ihr nach Ägypten verkauft habt.

Genesis 45:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 45:4

And Joseph said unto his brethren, come near to me, I pray
you
Very probably Joseph sat in a chair of state while they were under examination, and through reverence of him they kept at a proper distance; or being frightened at what he had said, he might observe them drawing back, as Jarchi remarks, and so encourages them in a kind and tender manner to return and come nearer to him, and the rather, that they might more privately converse together without being overheard; as also that they might, by approaching him discern and call to mind some of his features still remaining, by which they might be assured he was Joseph indeed: and they came near, and he said, I [am] Joseph your brother;
not only his name was Joseph, but he was that Joseph that was their brother; he claims and owns the relation between them, which must be very affecting to them, who had used him so unkindly: whom ye sold into Egypt:
which is added, not so much to put them in mind of and upbraid them with their sin, but to assure them that he was really their brother Joseph; which he could not have related had he not been he, as well as to lead on to what he had further to say to them for their comfort.

Genesis 45:4 In-Context

2 Und er weinte laut, daß es die Ägypter und das Gesinde des Pharao hörten, {~}

3 und sprach zu seinen Brüdern: Ich bin Joseph. Lebt mein Vater noch? und seine Brüder konnten ihm nicht antworten, so erschraken sie vor seinem Angesicht.

4 Er aber sprach zu seinen Brüdern: Tretet doch her zu mir! Und sie traten herzu. Und er sprach: Ich bin Joseph euer Bruder, den ihr nach Ägypten verkauft habt.

5 Und nun bekümmert euch nicht und denkt nicht, daß ich darum zürne, daß ihr mich hierher verkauft habt; denn um eures Lebens willen hat mich Gott vor euch her gesandt.

6 Denn dies sind zwei Jahre, daß es teuer im Lande ist; und sind noch fünf Jahre, daß kein Pflügen und Ernten sein wird.