Bereshis 45:4

4 And Yosef said unto his achim, Come near to me, now. And they came near. And he said, I am Yosef achichem (your brother), whom ye sold into Mitzrayim.

Bereshis 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.

Bereshis 45:4 In-Context

2 And he wept aloud; and the Mitzrayim and the Bais Pharaoh heard.

3 And Yosef said unto his achim (brethren), I am Yosef; doth Avi yet live? And his achim could not answer him; for they were shocked with dismay at his presence.

4 And Yosef said unto his achim, Come near to me, now. And they came near. And he said, I am Yosef achichem (your brother), whom ye sold into Mitzrayim.

5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me here; for Elohim did send me before you to save life.

6 For these two years hath the ra’av (famine) been in the land; and yet there are chamesh shanim (five years), in the which there shall neither be plowing nor harvest.