Bereshis 45:5

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.

Bereshis 45:5 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 45:5

Now therefore be not grieved
To an excess, so as to be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; otherwise it became them to be grieved for their sin, and to show a godly sorrow and true repentance for it: nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither;
reflect upon themselves, and afflict themselves in an immoderate way; or break forth into anger and wrath with one another, upbraiding and blaming each other for their conduct in that affair, and so foment contentions and quarrels among themselves: for God did send me before you to preserve life;
the life of thousands of persons in Egypt, Canaan, and other countries; and particularly to preserve their lives was he sent before them into Egypt; where, by interpretation Pharaoh's dreams, by which he understood and did foretell the seven years of plenty and seven years of famine, he was to great honour and trust, and laid up a sufficiency of corn in the time of plenty to answer the exigencies of various countries in the time of famine, and, among the rest, of his own family; and therefore would have this attributed by them to the wise disposing providence of God.

Bereshis 45:5 In-Context

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.

7 And Elohim sent me before you to save you a she’erit (remnant) in the earth, and to save life for you by a peletah gedolah (great deliverance, escape).