Genesis 45:6-16

6 "For the famine has been in the land 1these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
7 "2God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.
8 "Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a 3father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
9 "Hurry and go up to my father, and 4say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.
10 "You shall live in the land of 5Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have.
11 "There I will also 6provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished."'
12 "Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you.
13 "Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and 7bring my father down here."
14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and 8wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.
15 He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward * his brothers talked with him.
16 Now when 9the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased * Pharaoh and his servants.

Genesis 45:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 45

This chapter contains an account of Joseph's making himself known to his brethren, which was done when they were alone, Ge 45:1-4; when he encouraged them not to distress themselves on account of their selling him into Egypt, for God in his providence had sent him there for their good, Ge 45:5-8; and he ordered them to go forthwith to Canaan, and acquaint his father with all the honour and glory they saw him in, and to desire him to come thither to him, where he should be provided for during the five years of famine yet to come, in the best part of the land of Egypt, Ge 45:9-13; upon which he expressed the strongest affection to Benjamin, and to all his brethren, Ge 45:14,15; the fame of this was soon spread in the house of Pharaoh, which gave the king great pleasure, who immediately expressed his earnest desire that his father might come and settle in Egypt, and ordered provisions to be sent him, and carriages to bring him down, and all that belonged to him, Ge 45:16-20; and Joseph accordingly delivered to his brethren wagons and provisions for the way, and gave gifts to them, and sent a present to his father, and dismissed his brethren with an exhortation not to fall out by the way, Ge 45:21-24; and when they came to Canaan, they acquainted their father with all these things, who at first could not believe them; but when he saw the wagons, his spirit revived, and determined to go and see his son, Ge 45:25-28.

Cross References 9

Footnotes 5

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