Genesis 45:3

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.

Genesis 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.

Genesis 45:3 In-Context

1 Da konnte sich Joseph nicht länger enthalten vor allen, die um ihn her standen, und er rief: Laßt jedermann von mir hinausgehen! Und kein Mensch stand bei ihm, da sich Joseph seinen Brüdern zu erkennen gab.

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.