Genesis 45:16

16 Now when 1the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased * Pharaoh and his servants.

Genesis 45:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 45:16

And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house
The report was carried to court, and there it was told by some from Joseph's house, who had overheard what had passed, at least somewhat of it:

saying, Joseph's brethren are come;
perhaps they might call him by his Egyptian name, though the historian gives him his Hebrew name, and which was his right name, and by which he was best known to the Hebrews, for whose sake chiefly he wrote:

and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants;
for Joseph being greatly beloved both by the king and his courtiers, who are meant by his servants, they were glad of an opportunity of showing their further regard to him, by their respect and civilities to his relations and friends, who had been the means of providing for the welfare of the whole kingdom, and of saving all their lives; Pharaoh's expressions of pleasure on this occasion were, no doubt sincere, whatever were those of his courtiers; who might not so well affect a stranger, and one that had been in a very low estate of life, to be raised above them, and have so much trust reposed is him, and honour conferred upon him, and might dissemble in their respect to Joseph before their sovereign; though such might be the prudence and affability of Joseph, and such the sense they had of their obligations to him in point of gratitude, that they might be really pleased to hear that his brethren were come; and the rather Pharaoh and his court might be the more delighted, because that it appeared that he came of a good family in Canaan; whereas they knew no more of him than of his having been a slave in Potiphar's house, and then cast into a prison for a crime charged upon him, out of which he was taken, and made the great man he was.

Genesis 45:16 In-Context

14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, 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 the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan,
18 and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.'

Cross References 1

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Lit "voice"
  • [b]. Lit "saying, ``Joseph's brothers have come''"
  • [c]. Lit "was good in the eyes of"
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.