Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Genesis 45

Introduction

1  Joseph makes himself known to his brethren.
5  He comforts them in God's providence.
9  He sends for his father.
16  Pharaoh confirms it.
21  Joseph furnishes then for their journey, and exhorts them to concord.
25  Jacob is revived with the news.
Verse 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.
could not
43:30,31, Isaiah 42:14, Jeremiah 20:9
Cause
2 Samuel 1:20, Matthew 18:15, Acts 10:41, 1 Corinthians 13:5
Verse 2

And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
wept aloud
Heb. gave forth his voice in weeping. "This," says Sir J. Chardin, "is exactly the genius of the people of Asia; their sentiments of joy or grief are properly transports, and their transports are ungoverned, excessive, and truly outrageous. When anyone returns from a long journey or dies, his family burst into cries that may be heard twenty doors off; and this is renewed at different times, and continues many days, according to the vigour of the passion. Sometimes they cease all at once, and then begin as suddenly, with a greater shrillness and loudness than one could easily imagine."
Numbers 14:1, Ruth 1:9, 2 Kings 20:3, Acts 20:37
Verse 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.
I am Joseph
Matthew 14:27, Acts 7:13, 9:5
for they
Job 4:5, 23:15, Zechariah 12:10, Matthew 14:26, Mark 6:50, Luke 5:8, 24:37,38, Revelation 1:7
troubled
or, terrified.
Verse 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.
I am Joseph
37:28, 50:18, Matthew 14:27, Acts 9:5
Verse 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.
be not grieved
Isaiah 40:1,2, Luke 23:34, 2 Corinthians 2:7,11
nor angry with yourselves
Heb. neither let there be anger in your eyes. God.
7,8, 47:25, 50:20, 1 Samuel 1:19, 2 Samuel 12:12, 16:10-12, 17:14, Job 1:21, Psalms 105:16,17, Acts 2:23,24, 4:24-28, 7:9-15
Verse 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.
two years
41:29-31,54,56, 47:18
earing
Earing means ploughing or seed-time from the Anglo-Saxon erian, probably from aro, to plough; and agrees with [arotron] Greek, charatha, Arabic, and charash, Hebrew.
47:23, Exodus 34:21, Deuteronomy 21:4, 1 Samuel 8:12, Isaiah 30:24
Verse 7

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
to preserve you a posterity
Heb. to put for you a remnant. to save.
Judges 15:18, 1 Chronicles 11:14, Psalms 18:50, 44:4, Acts 7:35
Verse 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.
it was not
5, John 15:16, 19:11, Romans 9:16
father
41:39-48, Judges 17:10, Job 29:16, Psalms 105:21,22
Verse 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:
Thus saith
come
13,19,20
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:
in the land
46:29,34, 47:1-6, Exodus 8:22, 9:26
Goshen
Goshen was the most eastern district of Lower Egypt, and the frontier of that country and Arabia, not far from the Arabian gulf, and lying next to Canaan; for Jacob went directly thither when he came into Egypt, from which it was about eighty miles distant, though Hebron was distant from the Egyptian capital about three hundred miles.
be near
John 14:2,3, 17:24
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.
47:6,12, Matthew 15:5,6, Mark 7:9-12, 1 Timothy 5:4
Verse 12

And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.
your eyes
42:23, Luke 24:39, John 20:27
my mouth
Not as
42:23
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.
my glory
John 17:24, 1 Peter 1:10-12, Revelation 21:23
bring
Acts 7:14
Verse 14

And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
29:11, 33:4, 46:29, Romans 1:31
Verse 15

Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
Moreover
2, 29:11,13, 33:4, Exodus 4:27, Ruth 1:9,14, 1 Samuel 10:1, 20:41, 2 Samuel 14:33, Luke 15:20, Acts 20:37
talked
Psalms 77:4
Verse 16

And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.
it pleased Pharaoh well
Heb. was good in the eyes of Pharaoh.
16:6, 20:15, 34:18, 41:33, Deuteronomy 1:33, 2 Samuel 3:36, 2 Chronicles 30:4, Esther 1:21, 2:4, Esther 5:14, Acts 6:5
Verse 17

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;
lade your
42:25,26, 44:1,2
Verse 18

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.
the fat
27:28, 47:6, Numbers 18:12,29, Deuteronomy 32:14, Psalms 81:16, 147:14, Isaiah 28:1,4
Verse 19

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.
commanded
Isaiah 49:1,23
waggons
27, 46:5
for your
31:17,18
Verse 20

Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.
regard not
Heb. let not your eye spare, etc.
Deuteronomy 7:16, 19:13,21, Isaiah 13:18, Ezekiel 7:4,9, 9:5, 20:17
stuff
Exodus 22:7, Joshua 7:11, 1 Samuel 10:22, 25:13, 30:24, Ezekiel 12:3,4, Matthew 24:17, Luke 17:31
the good
18, 20:15, Ezra 9:12, Isaiah 1:19
Verse 21

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.
waggons
19,27, 46:5, Numbers 7:3-9, Ezekiel 23:24
commandment
Heb. mouth.
19, Exodus 17:1, Numbers 3:16, 2 Chronicles 8:13, 35:16, Ecclesiastes 8:2, Lamentations 1:18
Verse 22

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.
To all
It is a common custom with all the Asiatic sovereigns to give both garments and money to ambassadors and persons of distinction, whom they particularly wish to honour. De La Motraye says, "that they then clothed them (the ambassadors) with caffetans (long vests of gold or silver brocade) with large silk flowers."
each
Judges 14:12,19, 2 Kings 5:5,22,23, Revelation 6:11
to Benjamin
43:34
Verse 23

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.
laden with
Heb. carrying.
good things
24:10, 43:11, Exodus 16:3
meat
As mazon is derived from zoon, to prepare, provide, Dr. A. Clarke thinks it may mean here prepared meat; some made-up dish, delicacies, confectionaries, etc. In Asiatic countries they have several curious methods of preserving flesh by potting, by which it may be kept, for any length of time, sweet and wholesome. Some delicacy, similar to the savoury meat which Isaac loved, may here be intended; sent to Jacob in consideration of his age, and to testify the respect of his son; for of other kinds of meat he could have no need, as he had large flocks and herds, and could kill a lamb, kid, etc. when he pleased.
Verse 24

So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.
See that
37:22, 42:21,22, Psalms 133:1-3, John 13:34,35, Ephesians 4:31,32, Philippians 2:2-5, Colossians 3:12,13, 1 Thessalonians 5:13
Verse 26

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.
Joseph
Luke 24:34
and he is
8,9, Psalms 105:21
And Jacob's
Heb. And his.
37:35, 42:36,38, 44:28, Jonah 2:7
he believed
Job 9:16, 29:24, Psalms 126:1, Luke 24:11,41
Verse 27

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:
the spirit
Judges 15:19, 1 Samuel 30:12, Psalms 85:6, Isaiah 57:15, Hosea 6:2
Verse 28

And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.
It is enough
46:30, Luke 2:28-30, John 16:21,22

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