TRV
Translation
King James Version
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:
Complete Jewish Bible
You will live in the land of Goshen and be near me - you, your children, your grandchildren, flocks, herds, everything you own.
Berean Standard Bible
You shall settle in the land of Goshen and be near me—you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own.
American Standard Version
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:
World English Bible Messianic
You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children’s children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And thou shalt dwel in ye land of Goshen, and shalt be neere me, thou and thy children, and thy childrens children, and thy sheepe, and thy beastes, and all that thou hast.
Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast dwelt in the land of Goshen, and been near unto me, thou and thy sons, and thy son's sons, and thy flock, and thy herd, and all that thou hast,
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Commentary on Genesis 45 verses 1–15
1 ¶ 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.
2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
3 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.
4 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.
5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
6 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.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 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.
9 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:
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:
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.
12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.
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.
14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
Judah and his brethren were waiting for an answer, and could not but be amazed to discover, instead of the gravity of a judge, the natural affection of a father or brother.
I. Joseph ordered all his attendants to withdraw, Gen 45:1. The private conversations of friends are the most free. When Joseph would put on love he puts off state, and it was not fit his servants should be witnesses of this. Thus Christ graciously manifests himself and his loving-kindness to his people, out of the sight and hearing of the world.
II. Tears were the preface or introduction to his discourse, Gen 45:2. He had dammed up this stream a great while, and with much ado: but now it swelled so high that he could no longer contain, but he wept aloud, so that those whom he had forbidden to see him could not but hear him. These were tears of tenderness and strong affection, and with these he threw off that austerity with which he had hitherto carried himself towards his brethren; for he could bear it no longer. This represents the divine compassion towards returning penitents, as much as that of the father of the prodigal, Luk 15:20; Hos 14:8, Hos 14:9.
III. He very abruptly (as one uneasy till it was out) tells them who he was: I am Joseph. They knew him only by his Egyptian name, Zaphnath-paaneah, his Hebrew name being lost and forgotten in Egypt; but now he teaches them to call him by that: I am Joseph; nay, that they might not suspect it was another of the same name, he explains himself (Gen 45:4): I am Joseph, your brother. This would both humble them yet more for their sin in selling him, and 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. This word, at first, startled Joseph's brethren; they started back through fear, or at least stood still astonished; but Joseph called kindly and familiarly to them: Come near, I pray you. Thus when Christ manifests himself to his people he encourages them to draw near to him with a true heart. Perhaps, being about to speak of their selling him, he would not speak aloud, lest the Egyptians should overhear, and it should make the Hebrews to be yet more an abomination to them; therefore he would have them come near, that he might whisper with them, which, now that the tide of his passion was a little over, he was able to do, whereas at first he could not but cry out.
IV. He endeavours to assuage their grief for the injuries they had done him, by showing them that whatever they designed God meant it for good, and had brought much good out of it (Gen 45:5): Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves. Sinners must grieve, and be angry with themselves, for their sins; yea, though God by his power brings good out of them, for no thanks are due to the sinner for this: but true penitents should be greatly affected when they see God thus bringing good out of evil, meat out of the eater. Though we must not with this consideration extenuate our own sins and so take off the edge of our repentance, yet it may be well thus to extenuate the sins of others and so take off the edge of our angry resentments. Thus Joseph does here; his brethren needed not to fear that he would avenge upon them an injury which God's providence had made to turn so much to his advantage and that of his family. Now he tells them how long the famine was likely to last - five years; yet (Gen 45:6) what a capacity he was in of being kind to his relations and friends, which is the greatest satisfaction that wealth and power can give to a good man, Gen 45:8. See what a favourable colour he puts upon the injury they had done him: God sent me before you, Gen 45:5, Gen 45:7. Note, 1. God's Israel is the particular care of God's providence. Joseph reckoned that his advancement was not so much designed to save a whole kingdom of Egyptians as to preserve a small family of Israelites: for the Lord's portion is his people; whatever becomes of theirs, they shall be secured. 2. Providence looks a great way forward, and has a long reach. Even long before the years of plenty, Providence was preparing for the supply of Jacob's house in the years of famine. The psalmist praises God for this (Psa 105:17): He sent a man before them, even Joseph. God sees his work from the beginning to the end, but we do not, Ecc 3:11. How admirable are the projects of providence! How remote its tendencies! What wheels are there within wheels, and yet all directed by the eyes in the wheels, and the spirit of the living creature! Let us therefore judge nothing before the time. 3. God often works by contraries. The envy and contention of brethren threaten the ruin of families, yet, in this instance, they prove the occasion of preserving Jacob's family. Joseph could never have been the shepherd and stone of Israel if his brethren had not shot at him, and hated him; even those that had wickedly sold Joseph into Egypt yet themselves reaped the benefit of the good God brought out of it; as those that put Christ to death were many of them saved by his death. 4. God must have all the glory of the seasonable preservations of his people, by what way soever they are effected. It was not you that sent me hither, but God, Gen 45:8. As, on the one hand, they must not fret at it, because it ended so well, so on the other hand they must not be proud of it, because it was God's doing, and not theirs. They designed, by selling him into Egypt, to defeat his dreams, but God thereby designed to accomplish them. Isa 10:7, Howbeit he meaneth not so.
V. He promises to take care of his father and all the family during the rest of the years of famine. 1. He desires that his father may speedily be made glad with the tidings of his life and dignity. His brethren must hasten to Canaan, and must inform Jacob that his son Joseph was lord of all Egypt; (Gen 45:9): they must tell him of all his glory there, Gen 45:13. He knew it would be a refreshing oil to his hoary head and a sovereign cordial to his spirits. If any thing would make him young again, this would. He desires them to give themselves, and take with them to their father, all possible satisfaction of the truth of these surprising tidings: Your eyes see that it is my mouth, Gen 45:12. If they would recollect themselves, they might remember something of his features, speech, etc., and be satisfied. 2. He is very earnest that his father and all his family should come to him to Egypt: Come down unto me, tarry not, Gen 45:9. He allots his dwelling in Goshen, that part of Egypt which lay towards Canaan, that they might be mindful of the country from which they were to come out, Gen 45:10. He promises to provide for him: I will nourish thee, Gen 45:11. Note, It is the duty of children, if the necessity of their parents do at any time require it, to support and supply them to the utmost of their ability; and Corban will never excuse them, Mar 7:11. This is showing piety at home, Ti1 5:4. Our Lord Jesus being, like Joseph, exalted to the highest honours and powers of the upper world, it is his will that all that are his should be with him where he is, Joh 17:24. This is his commandment, that we be with him now in faith and hope, and a heavenly conversation; and this is his promise, that we shall be for ever with him.
VI. Endearments were interchanged between him and his brethren. He began with the youngest, his own brother Benjamin, who was but about a year old when Joseph was separated from his brethren; they wept on each other's neck (Gen 45:14), perhaps to think of their mother Rachel, who died in travail of Benjamin. Rachel, in her husband, Jacob, had been lately weeping for her children, because, in his apprehension, they were not - Joseph gone, and Benjamin going; and now they were weeping for her, because she was not. After he had embraced Benjamin, he, in like manner, caressed them all (Gen 45:15); and then his brethren talked with him freely and familiarly of all the affairs of their father's house. After the tokens of true reconciliation follow the instances of a sweet communion.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–15. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 45:10 captures Joseph's earnest invitation to his father, Jacob, and the entire family to relocate to Egypt, specifically the fertile land of Goshen. This verse, spoken amidst the shock of Joseph's revelation to his brothers and the ongoing severe famine, promises not only physical dwelling but also intimate proximity to Joseph's care, ensuring their comprehensive provision, security, and the preservation of their lineage and possessions during the crisis. It underscores God's meticulous providence in using Joseph's position to safeguard the nascent nation of Israel.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Genesis 45:10 employs several literary devices to convey the depth and scope of Joseph's offer. The most prominent is Enumeration, seen in the detailed listing of those included in the invitation: "thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast." This comprehensive list emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of Joseph's provision, ensuring that no one and nothing vital to the family's survival and prosperity is overlooked. The Repetition of "children" ("thy children, and thy children's children") serves to highlight the generational scope of the promise, underscoring the preservation of the entire lineage. Furthermore, the phrase "near unto me" functions as Metonymy or Symbolism, where physical proximity stands for the profound personal care, protection, and abundant provision that Joseph, as the second most powerful man in Egypt, would extend to his family. This phrase also carries a strong emotional resonance, signifying reconciliation and restoration of familial bonds. The entire verse, in its detailed promise of dwelling, proximity, and comprehensive provision, acts as Foreshadowing of God's future care for Israel, particularly during their sojourn in Egypt and subsequent deliverance.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 45:10 is rich with theological significance, serving as a powerful testament to God's unwavering faithfulness and meticulous providence. Joseph's invitation is not merely an act of familial kindness but a divinely orchestrated step in God's grand plan to preserve the nascent nation of Israel. Despite the severe famine and the deep familial fractures caused by the brothers' betrayal, God used Joseph's suffering and exaltation to ensure the survival and future flourishing of Jacob's household. This verse underscores God's commitment to His covenant promises, particularly those made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob regarding a numerous offspring and a land of their own, even if it meant a temporary sojourn in Egypt. It portrays God as the ultimate provider and protector, working through human agents to bring about His redemptive purposes, transforming evil intentions into good outcomes for His people.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 45:10 offers profound spiritual lessons for believers today, inviting us to reflect on God's sovereign care and the power of reconciliation. In times of personal or global crisis, like the famine faced by Jacob's family, this verse reminds us that God is always at work, often in unseen ways, to preserve and provide for His people. We are called to trust in His meticulous providence, knowing that even when circumstances seem dire, His plans for our good and His glory will prevail. Joseph's generous and all-encompassing invitation to his family, despite their past betrayal, serves as a powerful model for forgiveness and reconciliation within our own relationships, urging us to extend grace as we have received it. Furthermore, the promise of being "near unto me" speaks to the spiritual truth that our greatest security and most abundant provision come from dwelling in intimate proximity to God. Just as Jacob's family found safety and sustenance near Joseph, we find true life and peace in drawing near to our Heavenly Father, trusting Him to meet our every need, both physical and spiritual, and to guide us through all of life's challenges.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was the land of Goshen specifically chosen for Jacob's family?
Answer: Goshen was chosen for several strategic reasons, demonstrating Joseph's foresight and God's providence. It was a highly fertile region located in the eastern Nile Delta, renowned for its rich pasturage, making it ideal for the Israelites' extensive flocks and herds. This ensured their economic viability and ability to thrive. Furthermore, Goshen's geographical distinctness from the main Egyptian population centers allowed Jacob's family, who were primarily shepherds (an occupation often disdained by Egyptians, as seen in Genesis 46:34), to maintain their unique cultural identity, pastoral lifestyle, and religious practices without conflict or forced assimilation into Egyptian society. This separation was crucial for their preservation as a distinct people group before their eventual growth into a nation and the Exodus.
What is the significance of Joseph saying "thou shalt be near unto me"?
Answer: The phrase "near unto me" carries profound significance beyond mere physical proximity. It represents Joseph's personal commitment to his family's welfare, direct oversight, and the unique privilege of being under his immediate protection and provision. As the vizier, second only to Pharaoh in power and authority, being near Joseph meant guaranteed access to the best resources, security from the devastating famine, and a direct line to the most powerful man in Egypt, ensuring their complete care and safety. It symbolizes a personal bond, a promise of patronage, and the assurance that they would be shielded from hardship under his direct, watchful eye, reflecting the deep love and reconciliation Joseph felt for his family after years of separation.
How does Joseph's provision for his family in Goshen connect to God's covenant promises?
Answer: Joseph's actions in providing Goshen and sustenance are a direct and powerful fulfillment of God's covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Specifically, it relates to the promise of a numerous offspring and the preservation of their lineage (e.g., Genesis 12:2 and Genesis 15:5). Despite the severe famine and the family's fractured state, God used Joseph's position and wisdom to preserve the nascent nation of Israel, ensuring the survival of the family through whom the covenant promises would continue to unfold. This divine intervention ensured that the lineage leading to the Messiah would be safeguarded, underscoring God's faithfulness to His word and His overarching redemptive plan for humanity.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Joseph, in his profound role as a preserver and provider for his family, serves as a remarkable type of Christ. Just as Joseph, once rejected by his brothers but later exalted to power, provided a place of refuge and sustenance in Goshen for his starving brethren, so Christ, once rejected by humanity but now exalted to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33), provides ultimate refuge and spiritual sustenance for all who come to Him in faith. Joseph brought his estranged family into a place of proximity and reconciliation; similarly, Christ brings those who were alienated from God "near unto Himself" through His atoning work on the cross (Ephesians 2:13), reconciling them to the Father and granting them eternal security and abundant provision in His presence. He is the true bread of life (John 6:35), offering spiritual nourishment that transcends any earthly famine. The preservation of Jacob's family through Joseph ensured the lineage through which the Messiah would eventually come, highlighting Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, the true source of life and salvation (John 14:6), and the one who gathers His scattered children into His eternal dwelling place.