Génesis 45:3

3 —Yo soy José —les declaró a sus hermanos—. ¿Vive todavía mi padre?Pero ellos estaban tan pasmados que no atinaban a contestarle.

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 ya no pudo controlarse delante de sus servidores, así que ordenó: «¡Que salgan todos de mi presencia!» Y ninguno de ellos quedó con él. Cuando se dio a conocer a sus hermanos,

2 comenzó a llorar tan fuerte que los egipcios se enteraron, y la noticia llegó hasta la casa del faraón.

3 —Yo soy José —les declaró a sus hermanos—. ¿Vive todavía mi padre?Pero ellos estaban tan pasmados que no atinaban a contestarle.

4 No obstante, José insistió:—¡Acérquense!Cuando ellos se acercaron, él añadió:—Yo soy José, el hermano de ustedes, a quien vendieron a Egipto.

5 Pero ahora, por favor no se aflijan más ni se reprochen el haberme vendido, pues en realidad fue Dios quien me mandó delante de ustedes para salvar vidas.