Introduction
‘Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, ‘Have everyone leave my presence!’ So, there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still living?’ But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’ When they had done so, he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no ploughing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. ‘So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks, and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise, you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’ ‘You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. Tell my father about all the honour accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.’ Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.’ Genesis 45:1-15
JOSEPH FINALLY REVEALS HIMSELF
What an emotional chapter this is, not only for Joseph but for his brothers and their father Jacob as Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers. Thanks to Judah’s emotionally pleas for mercy and honest confessions, Genesis 44:18-34, it was now time for Joseph to reveal himself, it was now time to stop the acting and pretending to be someone he wasn’t. Joseph can’t control his emotions anymore and orders everyone to leave until he’s left just with his brothers, Genesis 45:1.
Imagine the shock his brothers would have had when Joseph spoke their language, Genesis 43:23. There’s no doubt in Joseph’s mind that his brother’s hearts had genuinely changed. Joseph now weeps so loudly that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s household heard him, Genesis 45:2. And so, with a heart full of emotions and compassion, he reveals himself to them and ask if his father still living, Genesis 45:3 / Genesis 43:7. His brothers are they were terrified, shocked and at a loss, as to what to say, Genesis 45:3.
Friedman, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Joseph asking his brothers if his father was still alive.
‘If it did not occur to you when you sold me into slavery that it would kill my father, why are you so worried about him now? If he managed to survive the terrible grief you caused him then, he certainly will be able to survive even the loss of Benjamin now!’
We can’t help but to try and put ourselves in their shoes and try to imagine what everyone must have been feeling at this moment as this was a very emotional time for everyone. I’m sure Joseph’s brothers would still be filled with guilt because they were the one who sold him into Egypt, Genesis 45:4, and so to ease that guilt, he tells them that it was God Himself, who sent him to Egypt first in order that He may ‘save their lives’, Genesis 45:5.
God obviously revealed this to Joseph at some point in time, but we don’t know when. God was obviously using Joseph’s brothers for a greater purpose, but remember God doesn’t create evil, but He can use evil to bring about His will, Psalm 41:9 / John 17:12.
Thomas, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Happy is the man whose eye is open to see the hand of God in every-day events, for to him life always possesses a wonderful and true joy and glory.’
God also sent Joseph to Egypt ahead of his family because He wanted to preserve a ‘remnant of people’, Genesis 45:6-7. Again, we don’t know when God revealed this to Joseph, but he now seems to understand why God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to be called out of the nations of the world, Genesis 12:1-3.
Joseph understood the reason why he was in Egypt. It wasn’t because of his brother’s evil actions but because God wanted him there, Genesis 45:8 / Genesis 50:20, and God wanted all of Jacob’s family there. Notice God call him to be the father of Pharaoh, Genesis 45:8.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This was a long-honoured title designating the principal minister of the kingdom.’
It was God who made him father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt, Genesis 45:9. Joseph now tells his brothers to go back to their father and tell him that God has made him lord of all of Egypt, and come back quickly, Genesis 45:10. He tells his brothers that they will in the region of Goshen near him, along with their children, grandchildren, flocks, herds, and all they have, Genesis 45:11.
Joseph promises that he will provide for them, because five years of famine are still to come, if they don’t come then they and their household and all who belong to them will become destitute, Genesis 45:12.
They and Benjamin should see that it really is Joseph who is speaking to them, Genesis 45:13. Joseph tells them again to tell his father about all the honour accorded him in Egypt and about everything they have seen, they need to return quickly with his father, Genesis 45:13.
The emotions continue as Joseph he throws his arms around Benjamin and cries, and Benjamin embraced him, crying, Genesis 45:14, and the emotions continue as he kisses his brothers, cries even more, and his brothers speak with him afterwards, Genesis 45:15. This is a picture of complete restoration and complete reconciliation, Matthew 5:21-26 / Matthew 18:15-20.
Notice what it took for them to get to this place, first of all, the brothers had to recognise their past sins, Genesis 42:21-22, secondly, they had to go through the consequences of their sins, Genesis 42:28, thirdly, because they couldn’t deal with their sin, they were moved to ask for mercy, Genesis 44:27-32, and finally, they had to show true repentance for their sins, Genesis 44:33-34 / 2 Corinthians 7:10.
‘When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’ ‘You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives and get your father and come. Never mind about your belongings because the best of all Egypt will be yours.’ So, the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes. And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey. Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving, he said to them, ‘Don’t quarrel on the way!’ So, they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him, ‘Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.’ Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. And Israel said, ‘I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.’ Genesis 45:16-28
When Pharaoh’s palace heard that Joseph’s brothers had come, Genesis 45:2, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased, Genesis 45:16. Pharaoh blessed the sons of Jacob because of Joseph, and he issued a royal order and organised that Joseph’s family should have their needs met and should be given the best land in Egypt, Genesis 45:17-18 / Genesis 45:9-10.
Pharoah also tells them take some carts from Egypt for their children and their wives, and get their father and come, Genesis 45:19. He even tells them to forget about their belongings because the very best that Egypt has to offer will be theirs, Genesis 45:20.
Remember the Canaanites were shepherds, and the Egyptians saw them as ‘unclean’, nevertheless, this order by Pharaoh shows the deep respect and love he had for Joseph, Genesis 43:32. He supplied everything Joseph’s family needed in order for them to bring all their possessions to Egypt.
Joseph gives them carts, and provisions for their journey just as Pharaoh had commanded, Genesis 45:21. Joseph also gives them new clothing, but to Benjamin he gives three hundred shekels of silver, that is around seven and half pounds in weight, and five sets of clothes, Genesis 45:22. For Israel, his father, Joseph gives ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey, Genesis 45:23.
Notice as they were leaving Joseph tells them, not to quarrel on the way!, Genesis 45:24 / Genesis 42:22. The reason why Joseph told them ‘not to quarrel on the way’, is simply to remind them that everything has been dealt with, everything is out in the open and so, there is no room for blaming anyone and trying to put a guilt trip on themselves when the guilt was removed, it’s all in the past, Matthew 18:21-35.
His brothers leave Egypt and meet their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, Genesis 45:25. When they tell Jacob that wasn’t only alive but the ruler of all of Egypt, it’s not surprising that Jacob was stunned and didn’t believe them, Genesis 45:26. Remember as far as he believed, Joseph had been torn apart by a wild animal, Genesis 37:19-21 / Genesis 37:31-36.
Look at the attitude of the brothers again, their hearts had truly changed as they explained to their father everything, they had done concerning selling Joseph into slavery, Genesis 45:27 / Genesis 37:19-35. When Jacob sees the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, his spirit was revived, Genesis 45:27. It was at this moment that he became convinced that his son Joseph was still alive and he is determined to go and see Joseph before he dies, Genesis 45:28.
Jacob must have been devastated at all the lies and deceit but was willing to forgive them when he saw their repentance and understood it was all a part of God’s plan to get him and his family into Egypt. Notice that Jacob is called Israel again, Genesis 45:28, this is to remind us that God had a plan to eventually make Israel a great nation, Exodus 19:5-6 / 1 Peter 2:9-10, from whom the Messiah would eventually come.
A name change usually signifies a change of identity and character. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel which means, ‘he struggles with God’, Genesis 25:10. When his name is mentioned as Jacob, this is an indication that he’s returning to his old self. When his name is mentioned as Israel, this is an indication that his mind is set on God.
Waltke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Both Abraham and Jacob figuratively receive their sons back from the dead. Both sons prefigure the death and resurrection of Christ, but Joseph even more so. Both are not only alive but rulers over all, Acts 2:32-34 / Philippians 2:6-11. Jacob’s response on hearing the incredibly good news prefigures the response of the disciples when the women tell them that Christ is alive, having been raised from the dead. They too greet the news at first with stunned disbelief and finally with unspeakable joy when it is proved with many infallible proofs, Luke 24:9-49 / John 21:1-9 / John 21:24-25 / Acts 1:3. Their faith, like Jacob’s, revives them, reorients their lives, and makes them pilgrims venturing from land plagued by famine to the best land imaginable.’