Genesis 45
45
Joseph Reveals His Identity
1Joseph could no longer control his emotions in front of everyone who was standing around him, so he cried out, “Have everyone leave me!” No one else was there when Joseph told his brothers who he was. 2He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were afraid of him.
4“Please come closer to me,” Joseph said to his brothers. When they did so, he said, “I am Joseph, the brother you sold into slavery in Egypt! 5Now, don’t be sad or angry with yourselves that you sold me. God sent me ahead of you to save lives. 6The famine has been in the land for two years. There will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. 7God sent me ahead of you to make sure that you would have descendants on the earth and to save your lives in an amazing way. 8It wasn’t you who sent me here, but God. He has made me ⌞like⌟ a father to Pharaoh, lord over his entire household, and ruler of Egypt.
9“Hurry back to my father, and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of Egypt. Come here to me right away! 10Live in the land of Goshen, where you will be near me. Live there with your children and your grandchildren, as well as your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11I will provide for you in Egypt, since there will be five more years of famine. Then you, your family, and all who belong to you won’t lose everything.” ’
12“You and my brother Benjamin can see for yourselves that I am the one who is speaking to you. 13Tell my father how greatly honored I am in Egypt and about everything you have seen. Hurry and bring my father here!”
14He threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and cried with Benjamin, who was crying on his shoulder. 15He kissed all his brothers and cried with them. After that his brothers talked with him.
Pharaoh Invites Jacob’s [Israel’s] Family to Live in Egypt
16When Pharaoh’s household heard the news that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his officials were pleased. 17So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Load up your animals, and go back to Canaan. 18Take your father and your families, and come to me. I will give you the best land in Egypt. Then you can enjoy the best food in the land.’
19“Give them this order: ‘Take wagons with you from Egypt for your children and your wives. Bring your father, and come back. 20Don’t worry about your belongings because the best of everything in Egypt is yours.’ ”
21Israel’s sons did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons and supplies for their trip as Pharaoh had ordered. 22He gave each of them a change of clothes, but he gave Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes. 23He sent his father ten male donkeys carrying Egypt’s best products and ten female donkeys carrying grain, bread, and food for his father’s trip. 24So Joseph sent his brothers on their way. As they were leaving, he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on your way back!”
25So they left Egypt and came to their father Jacob in Canaan. 26They told him, “Joseph is still alive! Yes, he is ruler of Egypt.” Jacob was stunned and didn’t believe them. 27Yet, when they told their father everything Joseph had said to them and he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to bring him back, his spirits were lifted.
28“You have convinced me!” Israel said. “My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Currently Selected:
Genesis 45: GW
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion Translation