Genesis 45

Genesis Chapter 45 KJV

Verse 01. Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he

cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him,

while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

Key Phrase: Then Joseph could not refrain himself; That he should not weep, as the Targum

of Jonathan adds. At least he could not much longer refrain from tears, such an

effect Judah's speech had on his passions.

Key Phrase: before all them that stood before him; These would have been his servants that

attended him and waited upon him. The steward of his house and other ranking

officials that worked for Joseph. On whose account he put such a demand upon

himself to keep in his passions from giving vent. That they might not discover the

inward emotions of his mind.

Note: He did not wish to pain his brethren by a public reference to their past wickedness. Also

so there would be no restraint upon himself or his brethren when he made known to

them that he was the brother whom they had so cruelly years ago condemned to be a

slave.

Key Phrase: and he cried; Or called out with a loud voice and with an air of authority.

Key Phrase: cause every man to go out from me; Out of the room which he and his brethren

were in. Perhaps this order was given to the steward of the house to depart

himself, and to remove every inferior officer and servant upon the spot. There

would have been other Egyptian people that might be come in to hear the trial of

these men and to see how they would be dealt with.

Key Phrase: and there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his

brethren; Not that Joseph was ashamed of them or informing them the relation

he was to them. But that they might not see the confusion his brethren would be

thrown into. Or have any knowledge of the sin they had been guilty of in selling

him which could not fail of being mentioned by him and confessed by them. And

besides, it was not suitable to his grandeur and dignity to be seen in such an

extreme passion he was now able to let them see.

Verse 02. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

Key Phrase: And he wept aloud; Or "gave forth his voice in weeping" or as he wept he cried

aloud; for having put such a violent restraint on himself, as the flood of tears was

the greater, so his voice was the stronger and louder for it. Some say it was the

release of frustration, anger, hurt or pain in his heart that he let go of that caused

him to weep out so loud. 1.

Note: To express grief, sorrow, or any overpowering emotion by shedding tears releases the

soul of the person to heal and find peace. Joseph had not had peace since he was 17

years old.

Key Phrase: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard; The Egyptians would have

been the servants outside the room or that were in the room or rooms adjoining

to where Joseph was, heard his cry and perhaps a great deal of what was said.

Which they soon reported to others and it quickly reached Pharaoh's court, which

might not be at any great distance from Josephs dwelling.

Note: Amazing how fast news travels even in the days without electronic devices.

Verse 03. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his

brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

Key Phrase: And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; As soon as he could compose

himself a little, and utter his words, the first thing he said was, that he was Joseph

and that was his right name, his Hebrew name. He was called by the Egyptians

Zaphnathpaaneah, and by which name Joseph's brethren only knew him.

Note: We must also consider the fact that he looked like an Egyptian. No beard of dark skin

from years in the sun. He would not look like the Joseph they remembered.

Key Phrase: doth my father yet live? This he knew before as they had told him he was alive.

This he puts the question to them not through ignorance, or as doubting but to

express his affliction for his father and his joy that he was alive.

Key Phrase: and his brethren could not answer him; They were so surprised and astonished.

They were like men thunderstruck or we say today in shock trying to wrap there

minds around this startling information. They were not able to utter a word.

Key Phrase: for they were troubled at his presence; The replay of the sin of selling him came

fresh into their minds, the guilt of it pressed their consciences. The circumstances

that they were there to see Joseph for filled them with fear that he would avenge

himself on them.

Verse 04. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came

near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

Key Phrase: 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. Through

reverence of him they kept at a proper distance. Jarchi remarks that they drew

back at his words. Joseph encourages them in a kind and tender manner to come

nearer to him. (continued)

2.

Key Phrase: 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. By this he claims and

owns the relation between them. Which must be very frightening to them, who

had used him and disposed of him so unkindly.

Key Phrase: whom ye sold into Egypt: (Here is the kicker in the verse.) Joseph added it not so

much to put them in mind of their sin, but to assure them that he was really their

brother Joseph. Which he could not have related had he not been who he was

claiming to be. Also to lead on to what he had further to say to them.

Verse 05. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for

God did send me before you to preserve life.

Key Phrase: Now therefore be not grieved; An excess, swallowed up with much sorrow;

otherwise it became them to be grieved for their sin, and to show a godly sorrow

and true repentance for it.

Key Phrase: 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.

Key Phrase: for God did send me before you to preserve life; The life of thousands of persons

in Egypt, Canaan, and other countries. Particularly to preserve their lives was he

sent before them into Egypt. Where by his interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams, and

the gift of authority by Pharaoh Joseph was able to a sufficiency of corn in the time

of plenty. So to answer the urgency and demand of various countries in the time

of famine. Thus for his own family and therefore would have this attributed by

them to the wise disposing providence of God.

Verse 06. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years,

in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

Key Phrase: For these two years hath the famine been, in the land; In the land of Egypt and in

the countries round about.

Note: Which gives us a specific time period to measure by.

Key Phrase: and yet there are five years; These are still remaining, which he knew by the

above dreams and the interpretation of them.

Key Phrase: shall neither be earing nor harvest; That is to mean no cultivating of land, neither

Ploughing. Sowing and no reaping. They will be no gathering in of the fruits of the

earth, as used to be in harvest. There would be very little ground tilled, only near

it may be on the banks of the Nile.

3.

Note: The Egyptians knew by Joseph's prediction that the Nile would not overflow so it served

no purpose to attempt to plough their land, which through seven years of drought it

would be become very difficult to sow the seed into the ground, since there was no

likelihood of its springing up again.

Verse 07. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save

your lives by a great deliverance.

Key Phrase: And God sent me before you; This he repeats to impress in their minds of his

brethren with a sense of the good providence of God in bringing him to Egypt

before them to make provision for their future welfare. Joseph sees it was a way

alleviate their grief. Trying to prevent an excessive sorrow for their selling him

into Egypt when by the overruling hand of God it proved so salutary to them.

Key Phrase: to preserve you a posterity in the earth; That they and theirs might not perish,

which otherwise would have most likely been the case. Joseph remembered that

the promise of the multiplication of Abraham's seed might not lost, but continue

to take place, from whence the Messiah was to arise from.

Key Phrase: and to save your lives by a great deliverance; From the extreme danger they

were exposed to through the terrible famine. In which deliverance were to be

observed the great wisdom, goodness, power, and providence of God.

Verse 08. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father

to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Key Phrase: So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God; Which is to be understood

even they sold him to the Ishmaelites, who brought him down to Egypt and

sold him to Potiphar, being instrumental in his coming to Egypt. But Joseph sees

it was not they so much as God that sent him. God’s providence directed,

disposed, and overruled all those events, to bring Joseph to this place, and to such

an high station. The purposes and designs of God in providing for and preserving

Jacob's family in a time of distress.

Key Phrase: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh: This clarifies what we thought earlier

that Joseph was older than the Pharaoh. He would be a teacher to him, his

counsellor, to advise him well in all things, as a father his children. Some believe it

was also aligned to be his partner and patron. To have a share with him in power

and authority to be reckoned as a father to him, see Genesis 41:43. It required

Joseph to provide for him and the welfare of his kingdom, as parents do for their

children. The following phrases helps explain Joseph’s title; He a great man,

and a prince (s) in Pharaoh's court, lord of all his house, his prime minister, chief

counsellor and courtier, 4. (continued)

and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt;. To whom all the deputies of the

several provinces were subject under Pharaoh, and especially in the affair of the

corn and the buying and selling of such.

Verse 09. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God

hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:

Key Phrase: Haste you, and go up to my father; Go immediately into Canaan, which lay north

and east of Egypt. Joseph wanting to know as soon as possible that he was alive,

and in what circumstances he was or in need of.

Key Phrase: and say unto him, thus saith thy son Joseph; Without any title, such as the father

and counsellor of Pharaoh and or Govenor of Egypt. Only his name Joseph, his

son, which would be enough to revive the heart of Jacob.

Key Phrase: God hath made me lord over all Egypt: His exaltation to this position of authority

and dignity he ascribes, not to Pharaoh, but to God;. True civil honor and the

promotion to worldly grandeur and dignity are from God, and not from man.

Key Phrase: come down unto me, tarry not; The famine and the business on his hands would

not permitting him to go to his father and fetch him to Egypt. So he desires that

Jacob would come to him without delay. This would be a great advantage for him

and his family, and he could see to their mutual comfort.

Verse 10. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou,

and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all

that thou hast:

Key Phrase: And thou shall dwell in the land of Goshen; Called by Artapanus pronounced

Kaisan or Kessan. The Septuagint version Gesan of Arabia, as it was that part of

Egypt which bordered on Arabia. It seems to be the same with the land of

Rameses, see Genesis 47:11; and the Heliopolitan home, which, Strabo says, was

reckoned to be in Arabia, and in which were both the city of Heliopolis and the

city Heroopolis, according to Ptolemy.

See Artapanus; See Strabo; (page 14 of handout)

Note: In the Septuagint version of Genesis 46:28, instead of Goshen it is called Heroopolis, or

the city of the Heroes in the land of Rameses.

Note: Now either before this time Joseph had got a grant of this country, of Pharaoh, to

dispose of at pleasure, or he had so much power and authority unto himself as to put his

father into it.

See Special Note # 1 5.

Key Phrase: and thou shalt be near unto me; As he would be in Goshen, if Memphis was the

royal seat at this time, as some think. Artapanus is very express for it being that

Memphis was the seat of that king of Egypt, in whose court Moses was brought

up. If Joseph dwelt at On or Heliopolis, where his father in law was priest or

prince, which was near if not in Goshen itself.

Key Phrase: thou and thy children, and thy children's children: For Jacob's sons all of them

had children, even Benjamin the youngest, as appears from the following chapter:

Key Phrase; and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast; Knowing that Goshen, being

a place of pasturage, was fit and suitable for them. Josephus says , of Heliopolis,

which he takes to be the place where Jacob was placed, that there the king's

shepherds had their pastures.

Verse 11. And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and

thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

Key Phrase: And there will I nourish thee; Joseph is going to provide for him Jacob and all of

his family including his brothers here in Egypt.

Key Phrase: for yet there are five years of famine; This he said to them to tell them what God

had revealed to him and what was still to come. Two of the seven only being past.

Key Phrase; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty; His being

Jacob’s who was Israel’s and Abrahams before that, the whole posterity be

consumed or dying out, as it would be in all probability, if he did not procure food

for his family during the famine.

Verse 12. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my

mouth that speaketh unto you.

Key Phrase: And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin; They were an

eyewitnesses of his being alive, having themselves seen him, and even Benjamin.

Who could not be suspected by his father of a fraud in imposing on him this

unusual request. . There is some thought that some of them could no-doubt

remember his features. Having visible proof of his being the very person, which

they could with great evidence certainly relate unto Jacob.

Key Phrase: that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you; This verse tells us another great

proof here. Because Joseph is without an interpreter, and in the Hebrew language,

is speaking to them. Further proof to their father upon their report, that the

governor was not an Egyptian, but an Hebrew. By that and other concurrent

testimonies of all of them that he must be Joseph.

6.

Verse 13. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and

ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

Key Phrase: And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt; His wealth and riches, his

grandeur and dignity, his power and authority. His favor given to him by God.

Key Phrase: and of all that you have seen; What a magnificent house he dwelt in, the vast

number of servants he had. That he rode in the second chariot to the king and

the authority he exercised over the people. Most of all the reverence they gave

him as he used that power particularly in the distribution of corn.

Key Phrase: and ye shall haste, and bring down my father hither; Again Joseph is eager in his

desire to see him, wherefore this is repeated.

Verse 14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon

his neck.

Key Phrase: And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept; Benjamins first, because

he was his own brother by father and mother's side. He wept over him for joy that

he had a sight of him once more.

Note: The word for "neck" in Hebrew ”הצווא ר “ meaning neck, necks, throat, his neck is in the

plural form and being used, may signify that he fell first on one side of his neck, and

then on the other, to show his great affection for him. We see this today in a lot of

cultures still.