Genesis 45

1 Joseph might no longer abstain himself, while many men stood there before him; wherefore he commanded that all men should go out, and that none alien were present in the knowing of Joseph and his brethren. (Joseph could no longer restrain himself, with so many men standing there before him; and so he commanded that all the men go out, so that no stranger was present when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.)

2 And Joseph raised up his voice with weeping, which the Egyptians heard, and all the house(hold) of Pharaoh.

3 And he said to his brethren, I am Joseph; liveth my father yet? (yet liveth my father?) His brethren might not answer, and were aghast with full much dread.

4 To whom Joseph said meekly, Cometh nigh to me (To whom Joseph meekly said, Come near to me). And when they had nighed nigh, he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt;

5 do not ye dread, neither seem it to be hard to you, that ye sold me into these countries; for God hath sent me before you into Egypt for your health. (do not ye fear, nor be ye harsh with yourselves, that ye sold me into this country; for God hath sent me before you into Egypt for your salvation.)

6 For it is (but) two years that hunger began to be in the land, (and) yet five (more) years (shall) follow, in which men shall not be able to ear, neither reap;

7 and God before-sent me, that ye be kept (alive) on (the) earth, and may have meats to live. (and God sent me ahead, so that ye would be kept alive on this earth, and have food to eat/and have descendants into without end.)

8 I was sent hither not by your counsel, but by God's will, which hath made me as the father of Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and prince in all the land of Egypt. (I was sent here not by your deeds, but by God's will, who hath made me like a father to Pharaoh, and the lord of all his household, and the ruler in all the land of Egypt.)

9 Haste ye, and goeth up to my father, and ye shall say to him, Thy son Joseph sendeth these things to thee; God hath made me lord of all the land of Egypt; come down (here) to me, and tarry not,

10 and (then) dwell in the land of Goshen; and thou shalt be beside me, thou, and thy sons, and the sons of thy sons, (and) thy sheep, and thy great beasts, and all things which thou wieldest (and all the things which thou possessest),

11 and there I shall feed thee; for yet five years of hunger be left, lest both thou perish, and thine house, and all things which thou wieldest. (and I shall feed thee there; for there be five more years of famine to come, and lest thou, and thy household, or thy family, and all the things that thou possessest, perish.)

12 Lo! your eyes (see), and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that (it is) my mouth (which) speaketh to you;

13 tell ye to my father all my glory, and all things which ye saw in Egypt; haste ye, and bring ye him to me. (tell ye to my father about all of my glory here in Egypt, and all of the things which ye have seen; then haste ye, and bring ye him down here to me.)

14 And when he had embraced, and felled into the neck of Benjamin, his brother, he wept, the while also Benjamin wept in like manner on the neck of Joseph. (And he embraced his brother, and fell on Benjamin's neck, and he wept, and Benjamin also wept in like manner upon Joseph's neck.)

15 And Joseph kissed all his brethren, and wept on them all (and wept over them all); after which things they were hardy to speak to him.

16 And it was heard, and published by famous word in the king's hall, (saying,) The brethren of Joseph be come. And Pharaoh joyed, and all his house (And Pharaoh and all of his household were glad);

17 and Pharaoh said to Joseph, that he should command his brethren, and say to them, Charge ye your beasts, and go ye into the land of Canaan, (and Pharaoh said to Joseph, Say to your brothers, Load ye up your beasts, and go to the land of Canaan,)

18 and take ye from thence your father, and your kindred, and come ye (back) to me; and I shall give you all the goods of Egypt, that ye eat the marrow of the land (and I shall give to you all the good things of Egypt, and ye shall eat the marrow of the land).

19 Command thou also, that they take wains (out) of the land of Egypt to the carriage of their little children, and wives, and say thou, Take ye your father, and haste ye (in) coming soon, (Command thou also, that they take wagons from the land of Egypt for the transport of their little children, and their wives, and say thou to them, Bring ye your father here, and make ye haste in coming back soon,)

20 neither leave ye anything of the purtenance of your house, for all the riches of Egypt shall be yours. (nor take ye anything of your household possessions, for all the riches of Egypt shall be yours.)

21 The sons of Israel did as it was commanded to them; to which Joseph gave wains, by the behest of Pharaoh, and meats in the way; (And the sons of Israel did as they were commanded; and Joseph gave them wagons, by the command of Pharaoh, and food for the way;)

22 and he commanded two stoles to be brought forth to each (and he commanded that two stoles, or changes of clothing, be brought forth for each brother); forsooth he gave to Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver, with five (of) the best stoles;

23 and he sent to his father so much of silver, and of clothes, and he added to them ten male asses, that should bear of the riches of Egypt, and so many female asses, bearing wheat and loaves in the way. (and he sent his father ten male donkeys, carrying gifts of the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys, carrying corn, or grain, and loaves for the journey to Egypt.)

24 Therefore he let go his brethren, and said to them going forth, Be ye not wroth in the way. (And so he let his brothers go, and said to them as they went forth, Do not ye argue on the way.)

25 Which went up from Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to their father Jacob;

26 and they told to him, and said, Joseph, thy son, liveth, and he is lord in all the land of Egypt. And when this was heard, Jacob waked as of a grievous sleep; nevertheless he believed not to them. (and they told him, and said, Thy son Joseph liveth, and he is the ruler of all the land of Egypt. And when he heard this, Jacob appeared as if awakening from a grievous sleep, and he could not believe them.)

27 They told on the contrary to him all the order of the thing; and when Jacob had seen the wains, and all things which Joseph had sent, his spirit lived again, (But then they told him everything that Joseph had said; and when Jacob had seen the wagons, and all the things which Joseph had sent, his spirit lived again, or revived,)

28 and he said, It sufficeth to me, if Joseph my son liveth yet (It sufficeth for me, if my son Joseph yet liveth); I shall go and see him before that I die.

Genesis 45 Commentary

Chapter 45

Joseph comforts his brethren, and sends for his father. (1-15) Pharaoh confirms Joseph's invitation, Joseph's gifts to his brethren. (16-24) Jacob receives the news of Joseph's being alive. (25-28)

Verses 1-15 Joseph let Judah go on, and heard all he had to say. He found his brethren humbled for their sins, mindful of himself, for Judah had mentioned him twice in his speech, respectful to their father, and very tender of their brother Benjamin. Now they were ripe for the comfort he designed, by making himself known. Joseph ordered all his attendants to withdraw. Thus Christ makes himself and his loving-kindness known to his people, out of the sight and hearing of the world. Joseph shed tears of tenderness and strong affection, and with these threw off that austerity with which he had hitherto behaved toward his brethren. This represents the Divine compassion toward returning penitents. "I am Joseph, your brother." This would humble them yet more for their sin in selling him, but would encourage them to hope for kind treatment. Thus, when Christ would convince Paul, he said, I am Jesus; and when he would comfort his disciples, he said, It is I, be not afraid. When Christ manifests himself to his people, he encourages them to draw near to him with a true heart. Joseph does so, and shows them, that whatever they thought to do against him, God had brought good out of it. Sinners must grieve and be angry with themselves for their sins, though God brings good out of it, for that is no thanks to them. The agreement between all this, and the case of a sinner, on Christ's manifesting himself to his soul, is very striking. He does not, on this account, think sin a less, but a greater evil; and yet he is so armed against despair, as even to rejoice in what God hath wrought, while he trembles in thinking of the dangers and destruction from which he has escaped. Joseph promises to take care of his father and all the family. It is the duty of children, if the necessity of their parents at any time require it, to support and supply them to the utmost of ( 1 Timothy. 5:4 ) Joseph had embraced Benjamin, he caressed them all, and then his brethren talked with him freely of all the affairs of their father's house. After the tokens of true reconciliation with the Lord Jesus, sweet communion with him follows.

Verses 16-24 Pharaoh was kind to Joseph, and to his relations for his sake. Egypt would make up the losses of their removal. Thus those for whom Christ intends his heavenly glory, ought not to regard the things of this world. The best of its enjoyments are but lumber; we cannot make sure of them while here, much less can we carry them away with us. Let us not set our eyes or hearts upon the world; there are better things for us in that blessed land, whither Christ, our Joseph, is gone to prepare a place. Joseph dismissed his brethren with a seasonable caution, "See that ye fall not out by the way." He knew they were too apt to be quarrelsome; and having forgiven them all, he lays this charge upon them, not to upbraid one another. This command our Lord Jesus has given to us, that we love one another, and that whatever happens, or has happened, we fall not out. For we are brethren, we have all one Father. We are all guilty, and instead of quarrelling with one another, have reason to fall out with ourselves. We are, or hope to be, forgiven of God, whom we have all offended, and, therefore, should be ready to forgive one another. We are "by the way," a way through the land of Egypt, where we have many eyes upon us, that seek advantage against us; a way that leads to the heavenly Canaan, where we hope to be for ever in perfect peace.

Verses 25-28 To hear that Joseph is alive, is too good news to be true; Jacob faints, for he believes it not. We faint, because we do not believe. At length, Jacob is convinced of the truth. Jacob was old, and did not expect to live long. He says, Let my eyes be refreshed with this sight before they are closed, and then I need no more to make me happy in this world. Behold Jesus manifesting himself as a Brother and a Friend to those who once were his despisers, his enemies. He assures them of his love and the riches of his grace. He commands them to lay aside envy, anger, malice, and strife, and to live in peace with each other. He teaches them to give up the world for him and his fulness. He supplies all that is needful to bring them home to himself, that where he is they may be also. And though, when he at last sends for his people, they may for a time feel some doubts and fears, yet the thought of seeing his glory and of being with him, will enable them to say, It is enough, I am willing to die; and I go to see, and to be with the Beloved of my soul.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 45

This chapter contains an account of Joseph's making himself known to his brethren, which was done when they were alone, Ge 45:1-4; when he encouraged them not to distress themselves on account of their selling him into Egypt, for God in his providence had sent him there for their good, Ge 45:5-8; and he ordered them to go forthwith to Canaan, and acquaint his father with all the honour and glory they saw him in, and to desire him to come thither to him, where he should be provided for during the five years of famine yet to come, in the best part of the land of Egypt, Ge 45:9-13; upon which he expressed the strongest affection to Benjamin, and to all his brethren, Ge 45:14,15; the fame of this was soon spread in the house of Pharaoh, which gave the king great pleasure, who immediately expressed his earnest desire that his father might come and settle in Egypt, and ordered provisions to be sent him, and carriages to bring him down, and all that belonged to him, Ge 45:16-20; and Joseph accordingly delivered to his brethren wagons and provisions for the way, and gave gifts to them, and sent a present to his father, and dismissed his brethren with an exhortation not to fall out by the way, Ge 45:21-24; and when they came to Canaan, they acquainted their father with all these things, who at first could not believe them; but when he saw the wagons, his spirit revived, and determined to go and see his son, Ge 45:25-28.