Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals His Identity
1Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make every man go out from me.” So no man stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2He wept so loudly that the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard about it.
3#Ac 7:13Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
4#Ge 37:28Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me,” and they came near. Then he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5#Ge 50:20; 45:7–8Now do not be upset or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6#Ex 34:21; Dt 21:4For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7God sent me ahead of you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8#Jdg 17:10“So now it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of his entire household and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay. 10#Ex 8:22And you will dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, along with your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11#Ge 47:12I will provide for you there, for there are still five years of famine to come, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty.” ’
12#Ge 42:23“Your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that is speaking to you. 13#Ac 7:14You must tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen, and you must hurry and bring my father down here.”
14Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15#Lk 15:20Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.
16When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this. Load your animals and go to the land of Canaan. 18#Ge 27:28; 47:6Get your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’
19#Ge 46:5; 45:27“You are also commanded to say, ‘Do this: Take your wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and get your father and come. 20Also do not concern yourself with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”
21#Ge 45:19So the sons of Israel did so, and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22#Ge 43:34; 2Ki 5:5To each of them he gave a change of clothes, but he gave to Benjamin three hundred shekels of silver#About 71/2 pounds, or 3.5 kilograms. and five changes of clothes. 23To his father he sent the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father on the journey. 24#Ge 42:21–22So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.”
25They went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26#Ge 37:35; 44:28They told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still because he could not believe them. 27#Ge 45:19They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28Then Israel said, “Enough! Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
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Genesis 45: MEV
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Military Bible Association
Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers
1Joseph could no longer contain his pent-up feelings, so he cried out to his attendants, “Leave the room!” So no one was there when Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers. # 45:1 The family secret was a secret no more! Having held this secret for nearly a year, Joseph could contain himself no longer. He had to reveal himself to those he loved. All the Egyptians and the interpreter were ordered to leave. Joseph waited for the last Egyptian to file out of the room, then his long-buried emotions surfaced. 2He began to weep so loudly that the Egyptians heard it—even as far away as Pharaoh’s house! # 45:2 Or “[word] reached Pharaoh’s house.” 3Joseph, through his tears, said to his brothers in Hebrew: “I am Joseph! Is father still alive?” His brothers stood there stunned, scared, and speechless.
4Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come close to me.” Inching forward, they came close to him. Then Joseph said, “It’s me—your brother—whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. I am Joseph! 5Now don’t be grieved. Don’t blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was God who sent me ahead of you in order to save lives. 6The famine has now endured for two years, and the land will not bear fruit for five more years. 7God sent me ahead of you to ensure that you would live # 45:7 Or “to preserve you for a remnant on earth.” and have descendants. He has saved your lives through this marvelous act of deliverance. 8So it was God, not you, who sent me here. # 45:8 Joseph’s compassion for his brothers ran deep. For the third time, he told them that it was God, not they, who orchestrated all the events to bring him to the throne. Once painfully betrayed by them, Joseph now began to encourage his brothers. His words flowed from a loving, forgiving heart, and Joseph’s kindness washed over them. Their guilt was overruled by Joseph’s mercy. Through his tears, he convinced them not to dwell on their sin but on how God had worked through it all. Joseph had been sent by God ahead of them to preserve their lives. Though they did not realize it, Joseph’s brothers were helping the Lord fulfill his promise to Abraham (see Gen. 12:1–3). Today, we must learn to see that even those who hurt us the most may be those who move us toward the throne. If you see yourself in the hands of a loving God, not of others, you will not be offended. If Joseph’s brothers had not sold him into slavery, how would his dreams have been fulfilled? Some of your dreams will never come true until you can handle both mistreatment and betrayal with forgiving love (see Mark 11:25; Luke 23:34). God has made me a father to Pharaoh, the master of his entire household, and the ruler over all of Egypt.
9“Hurry back to my father and tell him that you have found me alive. Tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me ruler # 45:9 The brothers once asked in Gen. 37:8, “Do you actually think you’re destined to rule over us?” Joseph’s words, no doubt, would have reminded them of their question. of all Egypt. Come to me without delay. 10You will settle in the land of Goshen, # 45:10 Goshen means “drawing near.” It was a fertile area in the eastern part of the Nile delta that today is called Wadi Tumilat. It was known as a place for grazing livestock (see Gen. 46:32–34; 47:6, 11). Joseph’s palace was apparently near Goshen. where you will be near me—you and all your children and your grandchildren, your flocks and herds and all that you possess. 11For there will be five more years of famine, but I will provide all that you need to live in Goshen. You, your household, and all that you have will not live in poverty.” ’
12“My brothers, you each can see for yourselves, and Benjamin can too, that I really am Joseph, for I’m speaking to you face-to-face in our own language. # 45:12 Or “that it is my mouth that speaks with you.” 13You must tell father everything you have seen here and how greatly I am honored in Egypt. But hurry and bring my father here to me.”
14Then Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin’s neck, sobbing, and Benjamin wept on Joseph’s neck. 15With tears streaming down his face, Joseph kissed each brother, one by one. After their tearful, emotional embrace, they took time to speak brother-to-brother. # 45:15 All that transpired that amazing day was a prophetic portrayal of the glorious reconciliation that one day will occur between Jesus and his alienated Jewish brothers (see Rom. 11:25; Eph. 4:18). Through the last two thousand years, he has been unrecognizable to many of the Jewish people in his “gentile garb,” as it were. But one day the time will come when hearts will soften in repentance toward the Father and Jesus will reveal his full identity as their long-lost Jewish brother and Messiah. See Rom. 9–11.
Pharaoh’s Invitation
16The news reached Pharaoh’s house: “Joseph’s brothers have come.” Pharaoh and his officials were greatly pleased when they heard it.
17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers: ‘Load your donkeys and return to Canaan. 18Get your father and your families and come back to me. I will give you the best of the land in Egypt, and you will enjoy the fat of the land.’ 19Tell them also: ‘Take Egyptian wagons with you for your wives and little ones and bring their father with them. 20Give no thought to leaving your possessions behind; the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’ ”
21Israel’s sons did as they were instructed. Joseph gave them wagons, as the king had ordered, and provided food for their journey. 22He gave each of them a set of garments, and to Benjamin he also gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of garments. 23He sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best Egyptian goods and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other provisions for the journey. 24Then he sent his brothers off, admonishing them, “Don’t quarrel # 45:24 Or “be trembling [with anxiety].” along the way.” And they departed.
25They left Egypt and went back home to their father Jacob in Canaan. 26When they arrived, they ran to their father and announced, “Joseph is still alive! Not only that, he is the ruler of all Egypt!” The news so stunned Jacob that he nearly fainted. # 45:26 Or “his heart was numb.” He could not believe his ears! 27But when they told him all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to take him to Egypt, he recovered from the shock. 28“My son Joseph is still alive!” Israel said. “Now I’m convinced! I must go to see him before I die.” # 45:28 Why did Joseph wait for nine years before he sent for his father Jacob? He could have sent chariots to Canaan before now, bringing his father to Egypt to share his wealth and power. Why did he wait so many years until now? Was it because he did not care? No, Joseph cared deeply for his family; something else kept him back. Joseph was a man who chose to bear the pain of separation from his father rather than run ahead of God. He was an enthroned prince, yet he placed God’s interests over his. He knew that the plan of God must be fulfilled, not just his own desires. So he waited and waited again. Instead of initiating contact with his father and brothers, he stayed within the timing of the Lord. Even when it was in his power, Joseph waited nine years before his loneliness was removed. The dreams of his youth included Jacob, his father, bowing before him also. More than anything else, Joseph longed to see his father, but for nine years he did nothing. Even when the time came, he himself did not go; he waited until the others brought Jacob back. He was restricted to the will of God. This is why Joseph was a ruler and a prince. If you are unable to rule yourself, you will not be a good ruler over others.
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