Genesis45

Joseph, unable to contain his emotions, reveals his true identity to his brothers, weeping aloud. He reassures them, explaining that God sent him to Egypt to preserve their lives during the famine. Joseph then instructs them to bring their father Jacob and their entire households to Goshen, where he will provide for them. Jacob, upon hearing the news and seeing the provisions, is revived and resolves to see his son.

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Joseph Reveals His Identity

¶ 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.

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

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.

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.

Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

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.

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

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.

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:

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:

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.

And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.

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.

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

Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

Pharaoh Confirms the Invitation

¶ And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.

And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

Jacob Hears the News and Is Revived

¶ And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Study Notes for Genesis 45

Verse 1

Joseph ensures that the revelation is private, sending out all Egyptian servants. This emphasis on intimacy allows for familial reconciliation without the constraint of official protocol.

Verse 2

The loud weeping demonstrates the depth of Joseph's long-suppressed emotion. The sound was so great that it was heard by the Egyptians, confirming the dramatic nature of the event.

Verse 3

The brothers' inability to speak stems from profound shock, shame, and fear, as they realize the powerful Egyptian ruler is the brother they maliciously sold twenty years earlier.

Verse 4

Joseph forces his brothers to confront their past actions ('whom ye sold into Egypt') before immediately offering the comfort of forgiveness and theological explanation.

Verse 5

This verse introduces the central theological theme of the Joseph narrative: divine providence. Joseph reframes their sin not as a tragedy, but as a necessary step in God's sovereign plan to preserve the covenant family.

Verse 6

Joseph clarifies the immediate crisis: the famine is only two years old, meaning the family must relocate quickly if they are to survive the remaining five years without planting or harvest.

Verse 7

God's purpose was twofold: to save their immediate lives and, more importantly, to preserve 'a posterity' (seed) in the earth, ensuring the continuity of the covenant lineage leading to Israel.

Verse 8

Joseph assures them they were merely secondary agents in the events. Being 'a father to Pharaoh' is likely a title of great respect, signifying that Joseph was the king’s chief counselor and vizier.

Verse 9

The message to Jacob emphasizes Joseph’s status ('lord of all Egypt') to assure his father that the move is safe and commanded by the highest authority.

Verse 10

The land of Goshen, located in the eastern Nile Delta, was fertile and suitable for grazing, allowing the Hebrew shepherds to remain separate from the urbanized Egyptian population.

Verse 12

Joseph appeals to Benjamin, his full brother and the only one not involved in his sale, as a witness to the authenticity of his identity and message.

Verse 16

The news of Joseph’s family arriving was welcomed by Pharaoh, demonstrating the high esteem and security Joseph enjoyed, guaranteeing the family's protected status in Egypt.

Verse 19

Pharaoh commands the provision of wagons, a significant detail. Wagons were rare in Canaan and served as clear, undeniable proof of the invitation's royal authority.

Verse 21

The use of 'children of Israel' (the covenant name) emphasizes that this relocation is not just a family move, but the movement of the nascent nation toward a place of refuge and growth.

Verse 22

The gifts underscore Joseph's wealth and generosity. The greater gift to Benjamin reflects Joseph's affection for his younger brother and serves to further confirm his identity to Jacob.

Verse 24

This crucial admonition ('fall not out by the way') warns the brothers against renewed bickering, self-recrimination, or blaming one another for the past events they were now escaping.

Verse 26

Jacob’s initial reaction of fainting and disbelief demonstrates the depth of his grief and the long-term emotional trauma caused by Joseph’s presumed death.

Verse 27

Jacob required both the verbal testimony of Joseph’s words and the physical evidence (the royal wagons) to overcome his skepticism and accept the unbelievable truth.

Verse 28

Jacob’s spirit revives, and his acceptance culminates the chapter’s theme of restoration. His immediate resolve to go signifies his renewed faith in God’s ongoing plan for his family.

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Genesis45

Joseph Reveals His Identity

Pharaoh Confirms the Invitation

Jacob Hears the News and Is Revived

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